John C Phelan Is Sacked -- April 22, 2026

Locator: 50593SACKED.

This absolutely makes my day. On April 10, 2026, just twelve days ago, I wrote:

I first "met" Peter Zeihan back in 2022, or thereabouts, when he published The End Of The World Is Just The Beginning, published June 14, 2022. The big -- almost my only -- takeaway from that book:

• the importance of water for trade; and,
• the US Navy, alone, protected free and safe passage on the water, worldwide.  

My notes, very, very sparse, on that book, are here.

Time to take a look at the current CNO and the former CNO:

• current CNO: advanced degrees in engineering; naval career -- submariner.
• former CNO: undergraduate degree in journalism; naval career -- mostly executive officer, assistant director, acting director positions -- surface warfare; appointed by Biden; sacked by Hegseth

US Secretary of the Navy: 

• John C. Phelan
• businessman (no military experience?)
• huge fundraiser for Trump
• art collector
• married to former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader; date of marriage unknown, but long term romance; he was 36 or 37 years old when he married.  

Of the last ten US secretaries of the navy, how many have had no military experience? Even experience in the defense industry? One. Exactly one has had no military experience. John C. Phelan.

Of the recent U.S. Navy Secretaries, only one of the last ten (John Phelan, confirmed in 2025) has had no prior military experience. While some nominees in recent years faced scrutiny over limited background in national security, most secretaries in the last 15–20 years served in the armed forces or held high-level defense industry/government roles.

And folks are concerned about Hegseth? LOL. 

**********************************

So, to repeat the high points -- the point I was trying to make.

CNO: chief of naval operations. The most important US combatant commander -- the CNO -- submarines, nuclear missiles; air wings; and transportation arm for the US Marines. I can't think of a more important US combatant commander and then consider the geography of the world.

So under Biden, the CNO he appointed was a journalism major in college. Seriously, there is no degree less rigorous than journalism. Compare that CNO's background with every CNO before and since.

Then, the Secretary of the Navy -- this is who Trump appointed:  

• John C. Phelan
• businessman (no military experience)
• huge fundraiser for Trump
• art collector
• married to former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader; date of marriage unknown, but long term romance; he was 36 or 37 years old when he married.  
• how is the date of a marriage not known? In America, isn't there something like a marriage license required. Yes, I know common law marriages, but this source suggested there was a specific, but unknown, date.

Of the last ten US secretaries of the navy, how many have had no military experience? Even experience in the defense industry? One. Exactly one has had no military experience. John C. Phelan.

Of the recent U.S. Navy Secretaries, only one of the last ten (John Phelan, confirmed in 2025) has had no prior military experience. While some nominees in recent years faced scrutiny over limited background in national security, most secretaries in the last 15–20 years served in the armed forces or held high-level defense industry/government roles.

And you can't say the current president has had no military experience. He was a commander-in-chief for four years, 2017 - 2021.

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Today: It's Being Announced -- John C Phelan is leaving. 

Wow, wow, wow -- about time. It will be interesting to see who will replace him.

Hung Cao, the undersecretary of the Navy will be the acting secretary until Trump appoints a new secretary.

Hung Cao? Link here. 

After immigrating to the United States in 1975, Cao and his family moved to West Africa. He returned to Northern Virginia at the age of twelve and later graduated with the inaugural class of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. He entered the Navy as a Seaman Recruit in 1989 and was later commissioned as a Special Operations Officer from the United States Naval Academy in 1996.

As a Navy Diver, Cao led underwater missions around the world. As an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer, he led counter improvised threat missions for Special Warfare and Special Forces around the world with multiple deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. In his final tour of duty, he led sensitive activities, exploitation, counter-messaging and counter-drone operations in support of the Geographic Combatant Commanders and Special Operations Command. He retired from active duty in October 2021 as a Captain.

Prior to his appointment, Cao was a Vice President and Client Executive at CACI International. He helped in fielding electronic warfare packages, counter-drone technology, optical communications, photonics, enterprise IT and shipyard infrastructure optimization in support of the Department of the Navy.

Cao is a decorated combat veteran, a qualified Navy Special Operations, EOD and Diving Officer, Naval Parachutist, and Surface Warfare Officer. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Ocean Engineering, a master’s degree in Applied Physics and was a Fellow with MIT Seminar XXI and Harvard Kennedy School. He is fluent in French and Vietnamese. Cao and his wife April have five children.

AI query: why was John C Phelan sacked?

Reply: 

• As of April 22, 2026, the Pentagon announced that Navy Secretary John Phelan is leaving his post effective immediately, with sources confirming he was fired, according to reuters via tucson.com. No official reason was given for the sudden departure, which occurred after a 13-month tenure marked by internal friction and a wider shake-up of top US defense leadership by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

And folks are concerned about Hegseth. He's the least of our problems. In fact, he's taking care of a lot of problems. Exhibit A: John C. Phelan.

By the way, the meme -- Hegseth sacking military generals -- the meme -- it gets tedious. 

QUDS -- Leadership Taken Out In Beirut, Lebanon, By IDF -- March 7, 2026

Locator: 50169QUDS.

See this post -- my last note on the QUDs.  '

In case you forgot, the QUDs -- wiki. 

The Quds Force [Jerusalem Force] is one of five branches of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). 

It specializes in unconventional warfare and military intelligence operations. The U.S. Army's General Stanley McChrystal describes the Quds Force as an organization analogous to a combination of the CIA and the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in the United States. 

Responsible for extraterritorial operations, the Quds Force supports non-state actors in many countries, including Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Houthis, and Shia militias in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. 

The Quds Force is "a classic example of state-sponsored terrorism." 

The Quds Force reports directly to the Supreme Leader of Iran, most recently held by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei until his assassination in 2026. 

After Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani was assassinated in a U.S. drone strike, his deputy, Esmail Qaani, replaced him. 

The U.S. Secretary of State designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Quds Force as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in 2019 based on the IRGC's "continued support to and engagement in terrorist activity around the world." This was the first time that the U.S. ever designated another government's department as a FTO. Trump was president in 2019.

Fifty-three (53) members of the US Congress do not agree that this is a terrorist organization, a state-sponsored terrorist organization.  

Earlier today, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF)   carried out a precision strike targeting commanders from the Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IGRC) operating in a Beirut hotel.

According to the IDF, the commanders were working to advance terror plots against Israel from Lebanese territory.

The military said the Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps acts as a liaison between Iran’s IRGC and the Hezbollah terror organization, supporting Hezbollah’s military buildup.

Note the name Esmail Qaani above. Again, the dots continue to connect.

We'll probably hear from the fifty-three (53) members of the US Congress that supported this force. 

From The X-Files -- December 30, 2025

Locator: 49767B.

From the X-Files.

From Peter Zeihan, today: Global oil markets are nearing a massive shock as the shadow fleet edges towards collapse.

With mounting pressure from US seizures, Ukrainian drone attacks, and European interdictions, the roughly 1,000-tanker-strong shadow fleet is in the crosshairs of...everybody. As ships are confiscated, disabled, or destroyed, the numbers stop making sense for captains to run the risk.

This could trigger a severe tanker shortage, driving oil prices up, and making it harder for sanctioned countries to export. We're not just looking at an immediate price spike; this will be a prolonged oil shock impacting everything from transport to production.

Hamas: this is barely being reported. Hamas confirms death of five leaders incluing al-Sinwar's brother. Link here. 

Israeli F-15s: link here. Pay attention.

Israel operates several F-15 models (my interest -- the F-15D was my primary a/c for maybe a decade in the USAF): 

• the older F-15 A/B/C/D "Baz" variants -- air superiority
• the dedicated ground-attack F-15I "Ra'am" (Thunder) -- the "I" after the "15" stands for the Israeli variant;
• is now acquiring the "Advanced Eagle," the F-151A -- "I" = Israeli and "A" = Advanced
• for enhanced strike and rage, significantly boosting their strategic capabilities
• complements their existing F-15s and F-35.

So, what happened to the F-35? From AI: 

The F-22 Raptor's production ended early (in 2011) due to spiraling costs, the perceived lack of a near-peer threat after the Cold War, its limited relevance in counter-insurgency wars (Iraq/Afghanistan), and a strategic shift towards the more versatile, cheaper F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, despite strong USAF interest in a larger fleet. The lack of export potential (due to a US ban) also hampered economies of scale, making it a prime target for budget cuts. 

• Key reasons for early cancellation: 

• Cost Overruns: Each F-22 was extremely expensive (around $150 million each in 2009 dollars), making it a significant budget concern. 
• Post-Cold War Shift: With the Soviet Union gone, the primary threat of a massive air war against a peer adversary diminished, reducing the perceived need for such a specialized fighter. 
• Focus on Counter-Insurgency: The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan required versatile, multi-role aircraft, not just air superiority fighters, making the F-22 seem less relevant. 
• Rise of the F-35: The more affordable and versatile F-35 Lightning II offered multi-role capabilities (air-to-air, ground attack, reconnaissance) for multiple services, becoming a preferred alternative. 
• No Export Market: A 1998 law banned F-22 sales to foreign countries, preventing additional orders that could have lowered unit costs. 

Cost of an F-15: link here. It certainly looks like the F-15 is going to be the "B-52 of fighter planes" for longevity and versatility. Truly amazing. 

Currently, three fighter jets remain in production for the United States military: the F-15EX Eagle II, the F-35A/B/C Lightning II, and the F/A/18 Super Hornet. 

The F-16 Block 70/72 Fighting Falcon is also in production, but it is exclusively exported, although the production line also helps to maintain and upgrade the Air Force's existing fleet. 

All three of these aircraft are expensive, costing between $70 million and upwards of $110 million in flyaway costs per aircraft. Putting a single number on the cost of any fighter jet is difficult and problematic. This is because the cost of these aircraft is extremely complicated, and it depends on what costs are included or excluded. 

That said, the per-unit flyaway cost of an F-15EX can be estimated. 

It may come as a surprise to many, but the fly-away cost of a Boeing F-15EX is now higher than a Lockheed Martin F-35A

As We Look Forward To Veterans Day -- November 7, 2025

Locator: 49365VETERANS.

From a year ago. 

Link here. 

Retired Brigadier General (one-star) Pat Foote, at the beginning of this marvelously penetrating and exhausting film (five wars is a lot of territory to cover), recalls that in the 1950s and just out of college, she was determined to find something better than a secretary’s life. 

Something better, too, than interviews where the only thing anyone wanted to know about her was whether she could type.

“No, I could not type—and if I could have, I wouldn’t have told them,” she observes, with fitting asperity. She had, as a result, decided to visit an Army recruitment office. There, for the first time, she met a woman in uniform—and for the first time, too, was confronted with a system that promised women the same pay as males of the same rank. 

She had been impressed, above all, by the prominent notice in the introductory pamphlet given her that declared in conspicuous type, “WAC officers do not type.” The Army had apparently developed a deep awareness of the sensitivities of this population of Americans, namely women, it now wanted to recruit. 

Though it would turn out that some of them would end up doing plenty of typing.

Even so, as the eloquent period footage shows, the recruits wear looks of high anticipation. They had escaped a humdrum existence for something better, something purposeful—for a life larger than anything they knew—and the sense that they had found it is clear in the look of the smartly parading cadres.

That look is matched by something similar, if stronger, in the manner and tone of the high-ranking officers, mostly retired, who appear here, women whose presence attests unmistakably to the fulfillment they had found in the military—careers they had pursued with iron determination despite all obstacles. Women were not permitted promotion above the rank of lieutenant colonel or commander and their number was limited to 2% of the total force—a policy retained until Lyndon Johnson finally ended it during the Vietnam War. Those were just two of the official obstacles—there remained, until January 2013, the prohibition against women in combat roles, a subject this documentary (from the six-part PBS series “Makers”) addresses with memorable testimony.

Memorable, especially because it comes from Maj. M.J. Hegar, a woman officer, commander of an Air National Guard helicopter, who had completed over a hundred search-and-rescue missions in Afghanistan, and who knew that women were in fact serving, uncredited, in combat roles. She knew because she’d had to rescue so many wounded women. She would ultimately require rescuing herself. Shot while on a mission and bleeding heavily, she was nonetheless able to locate the enemy, grab her gun and return fire. Maj. Hegar would be the lead plaintiff in the effort to end the policy excluding women from combat roles.

Over the decades, there would be other obstacles of an unofficial kind as women were integrated into the services. They would be targets of hostility and aggressive sexual advances—the by now nearly forgotten Tailhook Scandal of 1991, in which a civilian convention for Naval aviators saw an official total of 83 women service members molested by Navy airmen running amok, comes luridly to life again in the film’s detailed recapitulation.

During my time in the USAF I flew with any number of female aviators and they were absolutely second to none. 

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A Musical Interlude

Link here. 

Deputizing Elvis -- Day 2 -- Trump 2.0 -- Part 3 -- January 22, 2025

Locator: 44748ICE.

Updates

Later, 9:37 p.m. CT: in first 33 hours, ICE makes "hundreds of arrests," specifically more than 460. That's a good start.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in the first days of the Trump administration, has made for than 460 arrests of illegal immigrants, including those with criminal histories that include sexual assault, domestic violence and drugs and weapons crimes.

.... between midnight January 21, 2025, and 9 a.m. January 22, 2025, a 33-hour period, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested over 460 aliens that include criminal histories of sexual assault, robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, drugs and weapons offenses, resisting arrest and domestic violence.

Agents arrested nationals from a slew of countries including Afghanistan, Angola, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Senegal and Venezuela. 

Arrests took place across the U.S. including Illinois, Utah, California, Minnesota, New York, Florida and Maryland.

This will start to become routine and the reporting will eventually turn simply to reporting numbers. ICE has four years. I think folks are going to be amazed at the crimes these folks committed and yet were allowed to walk free by local law enforcement. I wonder how Amy Klobuchar feels about this. My hunch: both "Morning Joe" and "The View" will avoid this issue, at least the specifics. And if they're worried about due process, there's room at G. Bay to hold them pending trial now that President Biden emptied those prisons. But they're not being re-arrested for their violent crimes, they're being arrested for being "here" illegally. 

Let's see. The US Senate has confirmed one of Trump's nominees. SecState.

Original Post

We're seeing an administration working / making news 24 / 7 and it's not going to quit any time soon. 

Now this, being reported at 9:40 p.m. ET, Wednesday night, January 22, 2025:

For all the folks who thought this was going to require more "man" power and more money --- not so fast. Wait until Trump deputizes ... well, I'm not going to say it. LOL. Except to say there are probably 1,600-some folks that would be more than happy to be so deputized.

Remember when Richard Nixon and Elvis Presley were apparently talking about some such law enforcement opportunity?

If one takes time to read the memo, it seems very, very appropriate and really nothing particularly new, but the headline will capture the imagination of the panel on "The View." 

From the memo and TWSJ:

The memo, sent by acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman, says DHS is granting immigration-enforcement authority to several agencies at the Justice Department, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Marshals Service. 

The memo also emphasizes that Federal Bureau of Investigation agents already possess immigration-arresting powers, known as Title 8 authority. Still, FBI agents traditionally steer clear of such work except where it intersects with their main mission of national security and other investigations. 

Though the memo doesn’t directly deputize those agents to assist with President Trump’s promised deportation campaign, administration officials are planning for the Justice Department to cooperate by lending some agents, a person familiar with the matter said. 

The Marshals Service may become involved in immigration-related cases if they overlap with federal fugitives or detention responsibilities. The ATF and DEA have historically not been involved in immigration enforcement, either, except where there are other gun or drug-trafficking violations. Officials in these agencies have long complained that they are already strapped for resources they need for their core missions of fighting violent crime and drug enforcement, and policing immigration violations would add more to their plates.

Stupid, Helpless, Bandit And Intelligent -- A "Tectonic" Election -- January 13, 2025

Locator: 44675OPED.

From The WSJ: link here -- 

Cipolla divides people into four categories: helpless, bandit, intelligent and stupid. In any normal interaction between two people, he contends, the helpless person suffers a loss while the other gains. The bandit exacts a benefit while levying a loss on the other. The intelligent person gains while enabling the other person also to gain. The defining trait of the stupid person is that he gains nothing while obliging the other to take a loss. 

Mr. Trump’s fans can argue with his despisers about whether he belongs in the category of bandit or intelligent, but he definitely can’t be classified as stupid according to Cipolla’s definition.

The astounding fact of recent years, however, is that Mr. Trump’s chief political opponent—Joe Biden—is a perfect specimen of Cipolla’s idea of stupidity. For four years, Mr. Biden has made decisions and pursued policies that made his supporters, party, country and foreign allies worse off, and in almost every case he has gained nothing and very often suffered commensurate political losses. You could make a cogent argument that Mr. Biden belongs in the category of helpless, so often do his decisions benefit his political adversaries, chiefly Mr. Trump, and not himself. But those blunders—principal among them his insistence that he was capable of running for re-election—have exacted massive costs on the rest of the country.

For three years Mr. Biden made it policy to do nothing on the country’s southern border apart from revoking Mr. Trump’s executive orders. What did he gain from this dereliction? The answer isn’t obvious. 

Mr. Biden overrode his military advisers and insisted on a total and immediate withdrawal from Afghanistan, with no clear plan to extract Afghan allies, U.S. citizens or American military hardware. A loss for the U.S., for sure. But where was the benefit to Mr. Biden or his administration?

Mr. Biden openly defied the Supreme Court’s ruling on his student-debt cancellation plan (the justices “tried to block me, but they didn’t stop me”). He thus managed to sow resentment among Americans whose debts he didn’t forgive, encourage a generation to indulge in foolish borrowing, and make himself look like the lawless strongman he accused Mr. Trump of being.

In each of these instances—and there are many others—Mr. Biden not only created ruin, discord and embarrassment for those who wished him well; he did so without gaining any advantage for himself.

This perhaps explains why he has been so comparatively active since losing the election in November. These are the months when, no longer beholden to the electorate, an outgoing president can do things he knows to be dumb or counterproductive and suffer no harm for it.

In December, Mr. Biden pardoned 1,499 criminals, many of them guilty of heinous offenses and showing no signs of repentance. What was the point, other than to attract the praise of a little band of activists and the righteous scorn of everybody else? Then the president commuted 37 of 40 capital sentences. In a single move, he managed to offend the families of murdered victims (some of them children), express his contempt for the law and the courts (there was no question of the trials’ fairness) and reveal that he has no principled objection to the death penalty (he passed over the three most infamous killers). And for all that, he gained nothing for his legacy or his party.

Much more at the linked opinion.

Meanwhile, did Trump just win a "tectonic" election? Link here.

From the linked oped:

“I was at first inclined to think of this election simply as a repudiation election,” he says. He now suspects that Mr. Trump’s victory might be a “tectonic election”—one that marks a permanent structural change in the American electorate and political parties.

He characterizes only three past elections as tectonic—1800, when Thomas Jefferson defeated John Adams and the Federalist Party quickly withered; 1860, when Lincoln’s victory established the Republicans as a major party that would dominate presidential politics for seven decades; and 1932, when Franklin D. Roosevelt trounced Herbert Hoover and cemented the modern Democratic coalition.

If your name isn’t Donald Trump, the idea that 2024 could join this list may strike you as counterintuitive. Kamala Harris carried 19 states and received more than 48% of the aggregate popular vote. Mr. Trump didn’t even manage a majority. (Neither did Lincoln, but he had three significant opponents.)

“It’s not a landslide in terms of numbers,” Mr. Guelzo acknowledges, “but it is a landslide morally speaking. What I mean by that is that the DNC was running against a presidential candidate that everybody was convinced was unelectable against nearly anyone. They could have put up almost any candidate and the confidence was that the country was simply not going to buy the idea of a return of Donald Trump to the White House.”

The Book Page -- India -- Just The Beginning -- November 20, 2024

Locator: 44368INDIA.

Why is this important?

Next: where does Apple plan to place its factories?

For the archives. This will be tracked elsewhere. But this is the beginning of my notes on India. 

For the blog: a reader asked his followers what book they planned to read by the end of this year, 2024.

My response: India: A History, John Keay, c. 2000, 2010.

“John Keay’s India: A History earned wide acclaim as the greatest single-volume book about India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh when it was [first] published in 2000. It has now (2010) been fully revised with four new chapters that the reader up to the region’s present day.

“India: A History spans five millennia in a sweeping narrative that tells the story of the peoples of the subcontinent, from their ancient beginnings in the valley of the Indus to current events in the region.

“In charting the evolution of the rich tapestry of cultures, religions, and peoples that comprise the modern nations of Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, Keay weaves together insights from a variety of scholarly fields to create a rich historical narrative. Wide-ranging and authoritative, India: A History is a compelling epic portrait of one of the world’s oldest and most richly diverse civilizations.”

I would assume that somewhere along the line Steve Jobs and Tim Cook (metonyms for the entire C-suite of the Apple corporation) were given intense briefings on the history of China and  India.

Of the two, the India briefing would be the most interesting, the most complicated and the most challenging for the presenter to put together.

The US is one country: politically, economically, culturally, socially.

China is one country: politically, economically, culturally, socially.

India is not one country. India is a land mass with 36 Indian sub-continent countries (28 states and 8 union territories). The 28 states have their own governing body; the eight union territories are administered by the central government (think District of Columbia in the US).

In the US one can move from Boston to Los Angeles to Dallas to Spokane and “fit in” immediately. No new language; no new religion; no new nothing. At most, politically from red to purple to blue or vice versa.

I assume it is quite similar in China. I could be wrong. Probably am.

But India: 36 Indian countries. Moving from one Indian country to another Indian country means a new language, a new culture, a new religion, and  unless it’s a union territory, a new political system.

Do not take this out of context.

Instead of one Chinese country with one party, the Communist Party with one clear-cut leader, or one American country with one president “straddling” two political parties, India has 36 countries gerrymandered based on language.

The Indian subcontinent has 18 official languages. Most Indian states / territories have a single official language. Some have two or a few more. One state has one official language and sixteen additional unofficial languages. Another state has a corresponding two and eleven; and a third state has a corresponding four official languages and eight unofficial languages.

Five states and one territory have English as an official language. English is the only official language in one state and in one territory.

The second bullet for the brief for Tim Cook: there are only two important dates in Indian history —


• 1947: independence of the Indian subcontinent; and,
• 1956: the Indian subcontinent completely reorganized into states and territories based on the language used in that locale.

A third date is, perhaps, also important: separation dates of Bangladesh and Pakistan from “India.”

So, two initial bullets:
India does not exist as a country (as Americans would define a country), 
the Indian subcontinent has 28 states and eight union territories “organized" by language. 
there are only two important dates in the Indian subcontinent for outsiders to know: 1947 and 1956

The third bullet: geographically —

• the Indian subcontinent is the size of Europe with none of the geographic diversity of Europe

• the Indian subcontinent is boring with the same relatively dry, flat land north to south, east to west
• think of the United States from, perhaps, Indiana to Utah, without the rivers and the lushness, or Americans would say, “fly-over country."

The fourth bullet: know the state / union territory in which you plan to do business --

• 
the major urban center(s)
language
• religion
• politics
• economic system
• what that “country” (state or union territory) brings to the table

And that’s it.

Geographically, the map:

• Although the size differences are entirely different, overlay a map of the US island of Manhattan over the entire Indian subcontinent.
• mountains separate Manhattan from Canada (Himalayas — northeast; and, Kirthar Range — northwest)

• the Hudson River is the Arabian Sea
• the East River is the Bay of Bengal
• there is no counterpart to Long Island 

• Delhi / New Delhi is in the Bronx — perhaps close to where the NY Mets call home
• Bombai (Mumbai) is on the Hudson across from New Jersey
• Tamil Nadu is the Manhattan Battery
; Tamil Nadu is the Silicon Valley of India
  
• Sri Lanka would have the Statue of Liberty
• West Bengal (and Bangladesh)  would be Westchester on the way to Connecticut, Yale, and Rhode Island
• Calcutta: West Bengal (the far northeast)
• Bhopal: geographic center of subcontinent India; perhaps Harlem?
• Pakistan: Pennsylvania

• Afghanistan: upstate New York
• Nepal: north of the Bronx
• Tibet: north of Nepal

So, four mountain ranges:

• northwest (Kashmir)
• northeast (Himalayas)
• western Ghats
• eastern Ghats

Calcutta -- west Bengal:

The states / union territories of note:

• 
Delhi / New Delhi: a union territory (need to check) squeezed in between Haryana and Uttar Pradesh
• Calcutta: West Bengal

• Bombay (Mumbai): Maharashtra
• 
Madhya Pradesh: Bhopal

AI:

History:


• history as John Keay divides the chapters of his book
“no" history until fairly recently
Pre-1750; pre-British colonization
• 13th century AD, Islamic conquest but very biased and often unhelpful
• The British Conquest, 1750 - 1820
• US Civil War - War of 1812
• Pax Britannia: 1820 - 1880
American expansionism
Awake the Nation: 1880 - 1930
American railroads
US Labor Movement
• At the stroke of the Midnight Hour: 1930 - 1948
WWII
• Ghandi
• Surgical Procedures: 1948 - 1965
US post-WWII
US Civil Rights movement
India: massive reorganization
• The Spectra of Separatism: 1962 - 1972
• Vietnam
Bangladesh
Pakistan
• Demockery (sic): 1972 - 1984
Bangladesh
• Pakistan
• Midnight’s Grandchildren: 1984 —
• the end of the Cold War
• immense changes in global alliances 

The Raj! Changed everything.

LNG -- Can The LNG Story Get Any Bigger? June 26, 2024

Locator: 48042LNG.

From multiple sources, Saudi wants 25% interest:

SRE: down a bit today; pays 3.3%; probably pays a whole lot for long-term investors.

Batteries = arbitrage, link here.

Connecting a lot of dots:

"Utilities now report that arbitrage is the primary use case for 10,487 MW of battery capacity, making it the most reported primary use," the EIA said.

"In arbitrage, utilities charge batteries by buying electricity during low-cost periods and then sell that electricity when electricity prices increase." 

The California Independent System Operator and Electric Reliability Council of Texas accounted for almost three-fourths of US capacity at the end of 2023.

Batteries are most useful whenever and wherever solar capacity accounts for a significant share of load. Solar? Think Texas and southern California. See: does Texas have it all?

CAISO leads the nation in battery-storage capacity with 8.479 GW, or 42.8%, of total US capacity.

However, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas is quickly catching up and added the most capacity in the first quarter 2024 with 1.2 GW, or 55.3%, of all US installation.

CAISO and ERCOT are projected to account for 70% of battery storage capacity in EIA data.

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The Book Page

If you feel comfortable with 5th-century Athens, and interested in more, I highly recommend Peter Green's The Greco-Persian Wars. His history of the region from northwest India / Afghanistan across Egypt to Macedonia prior to the story of 5th-century Athens is incredible. In just a few pages, he provides a breathtaking review of events leading up to the Greco-Persian wars.  

But don't even attempt to read it until your mind is ready to read this history again.

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North Texas -- Morning -- Wednesday, June 26, 2024

Peter Zeihan On The Middle East - October 20, 2023

Locator: 45830ZEIHAN.

Before we get started: that story about the destruction of a hospital in Gaza by a wayward missile -- overblown. First of all, it hit the parking lot, and not the hospital itself. Yes, lots of casualties but not nearly what first reports were suggesting.

Now, back to regular programming.

Link here.

Peter Zeihan this morning.

We've all been following the events unfolding in Israel and Gaza, and questions of this triggering a larger conflict are starting to bubble up. To be blunt, this isn't the start of WWIII, but let me explain why.

Of the countries in this region, there are no powers that (a) have the capacity or (b) have any interest in throwing themselves into the mix of things. The more significant concern for many is the possibility of a bigger player getting drawn into this.

The US has one thing on its mind - get our people out - everything is second to that. China might entertain the idea of involvement, but it simply doesn't have the military capacity in this region. And Russia, let's be honest...they have nothing to spare right now.

This region lacks a broad geopolitical significance that may otherwise entice external involvement, which means this conflict will remain an isolated issue for Hamas, Gaza and Israel.

From October 17, 2023, Iran is pissed.:

Original Post 

The former and the current president had / have something in common. They both wanted to disengage in the Middle East. 

Exhibit A: Afghanistan hasty withdrawal by Biden; plans put in place by his predecessor.

Iran's goal: become dominant player in the gulf. 

Hamas?

Screwed up everything for Iran. 

The US Navy can't get back to the gulf fast enough. 

Iran has to be really, really pissed.

One US a/c group already there;

The US second a/c group en route. [By the way, the Israeli's delay will allow the IKE to get there in time to see the fireworks. It amazes me that folks are asking why the IDF is waiting to go into northern Gaza. It also goes without saying that this provides more time to get refugees out of harm's way. And, oh by the way, a a lot of medical capability in an a/c group. Lots of blood for transfusions on those aircraft carriers.]

And, the cherry on top of that sundae: the US Marines will move north through the Strait before Iran can close it to shut down the trade of oil.

The US won't get any ground sites for land-based fighters this go-around -- except possibly Kuwait. Turkey has aligned itself with the Palestinians, against Israel, and Saudi Arabia and Iran are now talking. A new world order.

US Navy / US Marines have the edge over the USAF if this war goes regional.

This is what Iran sees, link here: 

The US Marines are there for two reasons:

• provide air support to Israel if ground invasion into Gaza begins to go sideways;
• prevent the invasion from going regional --

Regional? Euphemism for Hezbollah.

• Euphemism for Hezbollah? Say what? Quick! What other "entity" is going to attack Israel?
• Turkey? Saudi? Egypt? LOL.
• Iran? Hardly -- and at very, very great risk. Israelis would love opportunity to take out nuclear sites.
• Hamas. They're done.*
• Hezbollah. That's it. That's the only regional player that could get involved.
• Hezbollah: a political entity, not a military entity, though it does have a limited military capacity;
• so, for diplomats: "regional" = Hezbollah.

Iran's Worst Nightmare -- October 17, 2023

Locator: 45801MIDEAST. 

Updates

Later, 5:12 p.m. CT:children's hospital in Gaza Strip destroyed; the media is "rounding" up the usual suspects; 500 killed; Abbas, Palestinian leader cancels meeting with Biden; following script.

Original Post 

The former and the current president had / have something in common. They both wanted to disengage in the Middle East. 

Exhibit A: Afghanistan hasty withdrawal by Biden; plans put in place by his predecessor.

Iran's goal: become dominant player in the gulf. 

Hamas?

Screwed up everything for Iran. 

The US Navy can't get back to the gulf fast enough. 

Iran has to be really, really pissed.

One US a/c group already there;

The US second a/c group en route. [By the way, the Israeli's delay will allow the IKE to get there in time to see the fireworks. It amazes me that folks are asking why the IDF is waiting to go into northern Gaza. It also goes without saying that this provides more time to get refugees out of harm's way. And, oh by the way, a a lot of medical capability in an a/c group. Lots of blood for transfusions on those aircraft carriers.]

And, the cherry on top of that sundae: the US Marines will move north through the Strait before Iran can close it to shut down the trade of oil.

The US won't get any ground sites for land-based fighters this go-around -- except possibly Kuwait. Turkey has aligned itself with the Palestinians, against Israel, and Saudi Arabia and Iran are now talking. A new world order.

US Navy / US Marines have the edge over the USAF if this war goes regional.

This is what Iran sees, link here: 

The US Marines are there for two reasons:

• provide air support to Israel if ground invasion into Gaza begins to go sideways;
• prevent the invasion from going regional --

Regional? Euphemism for Hezbollah.

• Euphemism for Hezbollah? Say what? Quick! What other "entity" is going to attack Israel?
• Turkey? Saudi? Egypt? LOL.
• Iran? Hardly -- and at very, very great risk. Israelis would love opportunity to take out nuclear sites.
• Hamas. They're done.*
• Hezbollah. That's it. That's the only regional player that could get involved.
• Hezbollah: a political entity, not a military entity, though it does have a limited military capacity;
• so, for diplomats: "regional" = Hezbollah.
  

**********************
Hamas

*They're done.

Biden's trip will allow the Israelis an additional six days to prepare. And when they go, it will look chaotic but Israel will have everything in order given this much time to prepare -- and oh, by the way, water, electricity, and diesel fuel no longer getting to Hamas. They have a lot of diesel stored in anticipation of such a siege but I don't think they expected to be burning emergency diesel "waiting" for Israel to respond.

Israel won't move until Biden is back in Washington.

By the way, has Biden crossed the Rubicon with regard to unlimited military support for Israel is so needed. The tea leaves certainly suggest that.

******************************
Capabilities

Someone over on social media questioned "fighters on amphibious / landing craft"?

Yup.

Harriers and F-35B Lightnings. From wiki, multiple sites.

Time To Add Bakhmut To Afghanistan (Twice), Vietnam? July 11, 2023

Locator: 45078UKRAINE.

Updates today:

Recommend: https://www.newsweek.com/map-reveals-russias-progress-during-ukraine-counteroffensive-1812076.

Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Locator: 44518E.

Summer travel: link here. Ground-baased radar vs GPS.

Summer travel: American Airlines pilots authorize strike action.

Covid: finally.

• Biden will end Covid vaccine mandates for federal workers and international travelers
• well, that's a relief for professional tennis players

Credibility: human nature, it is what it is. 

People pick and choose what they want to believe. The Daily Beast readers "find the Daily Beast credible" until something is posted beyond the pale, as they say. So, we have this: Putin grooms Russians for defeat in Ukraine. Link here.

Putin's War: even by Ukrainian standards, this seems quite incredible -- Russia has sustained, reportedly, 100,000 casualties in five months;

• 100,000 includes 20,000 dead
• perspective
• US Vietnam dead (1955 - 1975): 58,220
• US Afghanistan (2001 - 2021): 2,402
• US Iraq (2004 - 2007: about 900 / year, each of those four years
• Russia Afghanistan (1979 - 1989): 15,000 Soviet troops

 *******************************
Back to the Bakken

Active rigs: 42.

Peter Zeihan newsletter.

WTI: $75.28.

Natural gas: $2.339.

Wednesday, May 3, 2023: 6 for the month; 58 for the quarter, 313 for the year
39261, conf, Hunt, Cook 146-93-24-13H6,
39260, conf, Hunt, Cook 146-93-24-13H5,
36404, conf, WPX, Skunk Creek 4-244-25-13H3,
31211 (no typo), conf, BR, Gladstone 6-1-13MBH,

Tuesday, May 2, 2023: 2 for the month; 54 for the quarter, 309 for the year
37176, conf, Hess, EN-Davenport-156-94-1003H-5,

RBN Energy: trading carbon across the Atlantic, part 2. 

As environmental protection and decarbonization efforts have ramped up in the past few decades, policymakers around the world have come up with a variety of schemes to lower industrial emissions.

The Kyoto Protocol in 1997 committed developed nations to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by a defined amount from 1990 levels by 2012. The treaty was never brought up for ratification in the U.S. Senate, which unanimously opposed it because developing nations — such as China — weren’t included. Across the Atlantic, the Kyoto Protocol was received much more favorably, with all 15 members (at the time) of the European Union (EU) ratifying the treaty in 2002. In 2005, the EU launched the Emissions Trading System (ETS) as a mechanism to help reduce emissions from power plants, industrial facilities and commercial aviation, covering nearly half of total EU emissions.

In today’s RBN blog, we explain the European cap-and-trade system, examine how the ETS is affecting the EU’s refining industry as a whole, and drill down to the refinery level to discuss disparities in carbon-cost exposure from one refinery to the next.

A Geo-Political Note -- January 30, 2023

Folks in Congress who say we need to abandon Ukraine have no clue about geopolitics. This is as much about China-Taiwan as it is about Russia-Ukraine. 

These are the same folks who criticized the hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan. 

And, of course, there was Vietnam -- a war the US lost ...

Link here.

Link here.

And, this from Bloomberg today:

Pet Peeve: Folks Who Don't Do Basic Research -- Simply Repeat The Memes -- January 8, 2023

Updates

Later, 10: 53 p.m. CT: Finland, link here.

Original Post

Metal bands and happy countries: link here.

Suicide rates by country, 2023: link here. Also, at wiki. (Sources vary slightly.)

Countries with the Highest Suicide Rates 

In 2019, the ten countries with the highest suicide rates (number of suicides per 100k) were:

1. Lesotho - 72.4
2. Guyana - 40.3
3. Eswatini - 29.4
4. South Korea - 28.6
5. Kiribati - 28.3
6. Federated States of Micronesia - 28.2
7. Lithuania - 26.1
8. Suriname - 25.4
9. Russia - 25.1
10. South Africa - 23.5. 

The only western European nation with an exceptionally high suicide rate is Belgium, which ranks at number eleven with 18.3 suicides per 100k. 

However, it is worth noting that Belgium has some of the world's most liberal laws on doctor-assisted suicide, also known as euthanasia, which is likely to be a factor in its statistics. 

Countries with the Lowest Suicide Rates 

Perhaps surprisingly, many of the most troubled nations in the world have comparatively low suicide rates.

• Afghanistan has 4.1 suicides per 100k;
• Iraq has 3.6, and Syria has just 2.0. 

It is not clear if the suicide statistics for these countries reflect suicides committed due to mental health problems and terminal illnesses (which are the primary reasons for suicide in most of the world) or include suicides committed as part of the ongoing conflicts in these countries. 

The world's lowest suicide rates are in the following countries:

• Antigua and Barbuda - 0.4
• Barbados - 0.6
• Grenada - 0.7
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - 1.0
• Sao Tome and Principe - 1.5
• Jordan - 1.6
• Syria - 2.0
• Venezuela - 2.1
• Honduras - 2.1
• Philippines - 2.2

Suicide in Sweden 

In 2019, Sweden had 14.7 suicides per 100,000 people.

Historically, Sweden has had a high suicide rate, with the most suicides in the developed world during the 1960s.

That may have been due, at least in part, to cultural attitudes regarding suicide and long, dark winters, particularly in the northern regions

The government responded to the crisis with social welfare and mental health services, and the numbers have dropped dramatically.

Today, Scandinavian countries – Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland – have very high happiness rates and relatively low suicide rates.

However, the dark winters – 20 hours of darkness or more in each day in some areas – causes seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression, which has been known to correlate with higher rates of suicide.

Euthanasia, or physician-assisted suicide, is still illegal in Sweden but is accepted in some instances. A physician may not administer lethal drugs to a terminally ill patient, but he or she may end life support of the patient requests doing so and demonstrates that they understand the consequences. This form of physician-assisted suicide, known as passive euthanasia, is not included in suicide statistics. Active euthanasia, when a physician administers lethal drugs to a terminally ill patient with the patient and family's consent, may soon become legal in Sweden, as it is becoming more accepted in European countries.

China's "911" -- Thank You, Mr Biden -- October 23, 2022

Note: two things.

• first, this is why I love to blog. Without blogging I would not have caught the "sub-14nm" reference nor paid attention to it (see Chips, semiconductor: link here);
• second, in this very, very long article mentioning no less than half a dozen chip companies, neither TSMC nor Apple are mentioned.
  

Link here.  

September 11, 2022.

China's "911."

Exclusive: Biden to hit China with broader curbs on U.S. chip and tool exports -sources By Karen Freifeld and Alexandra Alper.

The Commerce Department intends to publish new regulations based on restrictions communicated in letters earlier this year to three U.S. companies -- KLA Corp , Lam Research Corp (LRCX.O) and Applied Materials Inc (AMAT.O), the people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The letters, which the companies publicly acknowledged, forbade them from exporting chipmaking equipment to Chinese factories that produce advanced semiconductors with sub-14 nanometer processes unless the sellers obtain Commerce Department licenses.

The rules would also codify restrictions in Commerce Department letters sent to Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O) last month instructing them to halt shipments of several artificial intelligence computing chips to China unless they obtain licenses. 

See link here for more.

Intel Corp (INTC.O) and startups like Cerebras Systems are targeting the same advanced computing markets. Intel said it is closely monitoring the situation, while Cerebras declined to comment.

One source said the rules could also impose license requirements on shipments to China of products that contain the targeted chips. Dell Technologies, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE.N) and Super Micro Computer (SMCI.O) make data center servers that contain Nvidia's A100 chip.

See link here for more.

It should be noted, and Reuters did not note it in this article, that this "process" began with the Trump administration. 

For those who think / thought that Biden and family have a special interest in China, this certainly puts a hole in that "thinking."

Following "911" in the US, America went to war with the Taliban and bin Laden across the Mideast, but mostly in Afghanistan.

Could this "China's 911" be the impetus for Beijing to "try to take" Taiwan by force?

Now, Being Televised Live -- The Funeral of Queen Elizabeth -- September 19, 2022

Really quite amazing. I went to Hulu, and clicked on the link to the funeral. I did not pay attention to the source.

Surprise, surprise, surprise: Fox News. 

Hulu, a Disney operation directed me to Fox News for this momentous event. Who would have thought?

The news channel was created by Australian-American media mogul Rupert Murdoch, Australian-born American businessman with huge footprint and beginning in the UK. One wonders.
I assume "one" set of cameras that then feed to all other media outlets. A BBC production?

Joe Biden, wide awake, looking very presidential, with his wife at his side, in the cathedral. Really, really quite amazing. 

Wow, those are incredible images of the cathedral, and with the cathedral "full," the venue seems so incredibly small. 

Alfred Hitchcock would have appreciated the cinematography, especially the "shot" from the ceiling of the abbey. 

Not one person wearing a mask (and just like that, Covid-19 is over), and the cathedral is literally standing-room only. One wonders how this would have been "handled," had this taken place in September, 2020. 

Holy mackerel: Harry in a suit, not his military uniform; but he is wearing his medals. 

Wow, wow, wow. Two tours in Afghanistan. His father, King Charles III, and his brother are both in their military uniforms. And, yes, it bothers him if anyone asks. By tradition, Harry is not allowed to wear his military uniform in public after he separated from the service. An exception was made once, in Balmoral a few days ago, where the queen lied in-state before traveling to London.

Wow, huge entourage -- her extended family and her "servants" from all her homes.

Live: mid-morning, Monday.

The clarity of the stream -- the coffin being carried in -- absolutely remarkable. We see more than those actually attending the service. And now, the Scottish bagpipes. 

Queen Elizabeth:

Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. 

She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during her lifetime and 15 at the time of her death.[ 

Her reign of 70 years and 214 days is the longest of any British monarch, the longest recorded of any female head of state in history, and the second-longest verified reign of any sovereign in history (the longest: King Louis XIV, France). 

Elizabeth was born in Mayfair, London, as the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth). Her father acceded to the throne in 1936 upon the abdication of his brother, King Edward VIII, making Elizabeth the heir presumptive. 

She was educated privately at home and began to undertake public duties during the Second World War, serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. In November 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten, a former prince of Greece and Denmark, and their marriage lasted 73 years until his death in April 2021. They had four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward.

Archbishop of Canterbury. 

Elizabeth Truss, third to speak. Prime Minister as of September 6, 2022 -- only thirteen days ago. Boris is "fit to be tied," no doubt, as they say. In a way, I assume, the royal family is relieved that two of the more polarizing political figures of the 21st century are not in attendance.  

Among the royal family, it's hard to say who received most video coverage. Of the six, my estimate: Harry (21%); William (20%); Kate (18%); Charles (16%); Camilla (14%); Meghan (11%).

Seeing the live shots of The Westminster Abbey brings back many, many memories. 

I visited Westminster only once, I assume, don't recall, but the "layout" is identical to Ripon Cathedral which I attended often on Friday's evensong and Sunday service when serving at RAF Menwith Hill over the course of four years back in the early 2000s. 

Ripon Cathedral, at one time, I knew this history so well:

The Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Wilfrid, commonly known as Ripon Cathedral, and until 1836 known as Ripon Minster, is a cathedral in Ripon, North Yorkshire, England. 

Founded as a monastery by Scottish monks in the 660s, it was refounded as a Benedictine monastery by St Wilfrid in 672. 

The church became collegiate in the tenth century, and acted as a mother church within the large Diocese of York for the remainder of the Middle Ages. The present church is the fourth, and was built between the 13th and 16th centuries. 

In 1836 the church became the cathedral for the Diocese of Ripon. 

In 2014 the Diocese was incorporated into the new Diocese of Leeds, and the church became one of three co-equal cathedrals of the Bishop of Leeds. 

The cathedral is notable architecturally for its gothic west front in the Early English style, considered one of the best of its type, as well as the Geometric east window. The seventh-century crypt of Wilfrid's church is a significant example of early Christian architecture in England. 

The cathedral has Grade I listed building status. 

My environs -- North Yorkshire -- that affected my life more than anyone will ever know. 

SCO9 -- A Joke -- Putin Rebuilding The Russian Empire -- September 18, 2022

This turned out to be a huge joke.

I assume it was Putin who wanted this meeting and who arranged this meeting.

I assume Putin wanted to "replicate" the G7 or the G20 or the EU or NATO or ASEAN or any similar western cooperative and so we got the SCO9 composed of

• Russia
• China
• North Korea (in absentia)
• Tajikistan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Uzbekistan
• Kazakhstan
• India (hard to believe)
• Pakistan (believable)
  

Perhaps in time, we get Afghanistan and Azerbaijan. Most of these countries are at war with each other.

For full listing of the "stan brothers" see this post.

China-Russia Axis
Not All It's Cracked Up To Be

September 18, 2022: Shanghai Cooperation Council.

Putin's meeting with Xi highlights Russia's waning status on the world stage, link here.

Data points for SCO9 - 2022:

• Chinese President Xi Jingping met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since the start of the Ukraine war. 
• The two discussed Taiwan, Ukraine, and more, with China emphasizing finding a balance between Russia and the West. 
• While Xi in many respects doubled down on China's relationship with Russia while in Uzbekistan, the Chinese leader has show sensitivity to Eurasia’s growing anxieties over Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. 

Other data points:

• summit in Uzbekistan's ancient Silk Road city of Samarkand
• the first meeting between Putin and Xi since February in Beijing just days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, when they signed a joint statement declaring the partnership between the two countries had "no limits."
• set up in 2001, the SCO consisted of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan before expanding in 2017 to include India and Pakistan. The summit offers a symbolic venue for the leaders as they look to deepen their partnership and voice opposition to the West.
• both Beijing and Moscow view the SCO as a vehicle to oppose Western-led institutions and offer what officials from both countries have framed as an alternative world order. China also appears eager to respond to the United States following an August visit to Taiwan by U.S. House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi, which Beijing said was "provocative."

WW-iii

Added as a "2022 Theme" this date.

Updates

July 15, 2022: Poland in position to send "all" its tanks to Ukraine.

Original Post 

I first brought this up a few day ago at this post.

I don't have time (nor the interest for that matter) to talk about this now, but I'm going to post a few links to which I can come back if the spirit moves me, but for those paying attention, they should be able to connect the dots. 

Russia: ready to mobilize. 

Europe: leaders telling their citizens to prepare for war.

US-Ukraine aid: 15th military package; total aid for Putin's War now stands at $7 billion -- CNBC, July 8, 2022.

HIRAMS: wikipedia.

US-Ukraine: four ways to understand the $54 billion in US spending on Ukraine, NYTimes, May 20, 2022.

US-Afghanistan, Iraq war: trillions. USA Today, September 1, 2021.

Star Wars: wikipedia.

One Well Coming Off Confidential List -- EV Update -- June 22, 2022

Earthquake: Afghanistan.

Removed: South Dakota AG

Ford:

• EV sales set record, again;
• Ford to end car production at German Saarlouis plant;
• selects Valencia, Spain as "preferred site" to build next-generation EVs for Europe

Stellantis:

• announces more indefinite layoffs: cites rising gasoline price and interest rates slowing sales;

Daimler Truck:

• world's largest truck maker facing enormous supply chain pressure;

*****************************
Back to the Bakken

Far Side: link here.

WTI: slumps to $102.70.

Active rigs: 42 or thereabouts

Wednesday, June 22, 2022: 31 for the month, 169 for the quarter, 329 for the year

• 38661, conf, CLR, LCU Reckitt 12-22HX, 

RBN Energy: greater Houston's vision for a Texas-Louisiana hydrogen hub.

One of the biggest, most important steps in the U.S.’s ongoing energy transition will be the selection and build-out of at least four new clean hydrogen hubs –– development supported to a significant degree by an $8 billion commitment in last year’s bipartisan infrastructure bill, which was signed into law by President Biden in November. Surely there will be a lot of angling among states and regions to land big chunks of that federal money, but it’s a safe bet that one of the new hydrogen hubs will be located along the Texas-Louisiana coast. After all, this stretch of low-lying land not only boasts the U.S.’s highest concentration of existing hydrogen production and consumption, it also offers an extensive network of hydrogen pipelines, easy access to vast amounts of natural gas and renewable power, scores of potential sites for underground hydrogen storage and carbon sequestration, and a slew of marine terminals for exporting hydrogen-packed ammonia to global markets. Best of all, perhaps, the region has the human capital to make a new energy hub happen — heck, look at the infrastructure and markets the folks and companies between Freeport and Lake Charles have already developed for crude oil, natural gas and NGLs. In today’s RBN blog, we begin a detailed look at the federal government’s push to advance clean hydrogen as a fuel of the future and the Houston-led effort to make the western Gulf Coast a buzzing center of hydrogen-related activity.

USAF Deployment In Britain Is Now Third Largest In World -- May 15, 2022

This is a pretty good wrap. I don't care for the fonts or the graphics but the data is pretty good. I'm impressed.

Link here. 

On top of everything else, Putin's most interesting unintended consequences:

• reinvigorating EU
• reinvigorating NATO
• enlarging NATO by at least two, maybe three
• bringing US back into Europe and, worse, eastern Europe

US getting incredible experience and training in Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Targeting.

Amazing. 

From the linked article:

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) has 9,730 personnel permanently deployed throughout Britain, an increase of 22 percent from six years ago. 

Analysis by Declassified has found that Britain hosts the third-highest level of USAF personnel of any country in the world, ahead of historic U.S. military outposts like South Korea and Italy. [Italy?]

These American airmen have in recent years flown bombing missions to Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya from their bases in Britain. 

“The USAF presence in Britain isn’t just some remnant of the Cold War, it’s ongoing and very active,” Kate Hudson, chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), told Declassified.

The USAF from the Brits' point of view? Oversexed, overpaid and over here. Yeah. I know. Not original. 

Some of the best years of my life were in England: RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, RAF Menwith Hill.