NOG Up On Rumors -- Wall Street Cheat Sheet

Shares of Northern Oil & Gas [were] up modestly on Monday due to takeover rumors that abound. The firm has strong financial prospects plus a recent management shakeup, but shares have traded at a notable discount to peers since the shorts attacked it in 2011. However, certain analysts believe that a sale could be the ultimate goal.

Also, at the same link, it was noted that TEPCO had to raise household power rates  -- the article was about importing less expensive shale gas, but the bigger question was neither raised nor answered: what was the reason for increased TEPCO costs in the first place?

A quick google search found this: from Tucson Citizen.com: http://tucsoncitizen.com/wryheat/2012/04/09/renewable-energy-mandates-raise-electricity-costs/

I can't make this stuff up. Note the date: April 9, 2012 -- just a few months ago; wow, the rate increase must have been significant.

The lede:

Currently, 29 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have renewable energy mandates requiring that some electricity be produced by renewable energy sources such as solar or wind generation. California has the most stringent requirement of 33% renewable generation by 2020; Arizona has a requirement of 15% by 2025. These mandates are costing us money and more. A new study from the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research has been examining the consequences of these energy mandates, some excerpts: go to the link to see the excerpts. I don't want to re-print the obvious. 

But the article goes on:

In addition to the direct cost of electricity, the Manhattan Institute notes that the increasing subsidies to renewable energy ventures (some $14.6 billion in 2010) is essentially using our tax money to raise our electricity rates. Many of these projects also receive tax breaks from the states. These mandates also increase costs to businesses which means we ultimately pay more for consumer products. 

On another note, "Big Bird's" salary is not bird feed. The actor inside the "Big Bird" costume makes about $315,000/year. [It gets worse: That year (2009), Sesame Workshop president and CEO Gary Knell got $684,144 in reportable compensation from his job. The salary of the US president is fixed by law at $400,000, though the job does come with use of a house, Camp David, and Air Force One.]