News You Will Be Reading About Tueday -- Posted September 8, 2014; The Big Story Tuesday: Apple

Reuters is reporting: Russia sees oil output edging down in 2015:

Russian oil production, a major source of government revenue, may decline slightly next year, having risen steadily since 2009, the Energy Ministry said on Monday. The ministry said oil production in 2015 was seen at 525 million tonnes (10.54 million barrels per day) compared to an expected 525.3 million tonnes this year.

Last year's oil output, which generates 40 percent of state revenues, stood at 523.3 million tonnes, a post-Soviet high. Output declined by 0.6 percent in 2008 because of a global financial crisis, but has risen steadily since 2009 thanks to the introduction of a more favourable tax regime and other fiscal measures.

I don't see a lot of difference between 525 million tonnes (predicted) vs 525.3 million tones this year (which is yet to be completed).

Meanwhile, Shell begins production at Cardamom Field in the Gulf of Mexico:

Production is now underway from the Cardamom development, the second major deep-water facility Shell has brought online in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico this year, following the start-up of Mars B in February.

Oil from the Cardamom subsea development (100-percent Shell) is piped through Shell's Auger platform. When at full production of 50,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day (boepd), Auger's total production capacity will increase to approximately130,000 boepd.

And more oilfield staff are returning to the oil fields in Kurdish oil fields.

The Wall Street Journal

"Islamic State upends Obama's second term." 

US will allow pharmacies to take back unused prescription drugs: to include drugs such as opioid painkillers in an effort to get addictive medications off the street. Really?

In Rhode Island, the Democratic Primary is "pension referendum."

First, the Ukraine; then Estonia. Now Lithuania. "After Lithuania declared its independence from the Soviet Union in 1990, many Lithuanians in the Soviet army deserted. Now Russia appears to want to prosecute them." Hmmmm.

Obama, the Nobel peace-prize president looks to expand the war in Iraq: more troops and more airstrikes. Wasn't it just last week that the President said there was no reason to destroy ISIL; they or some other terrorist group would just come back. He also said at that time: the US military could wipe out ISIL. I guess he meant if given enough time. (His plan: three years.)

Southwest Airlines, which hasn't updated its aircraft paint job since 2001, unveiled a new look for its 680 aircraft, along with a new logo, typeface, and Website. I haven't looked at it. Let's see if it looks anything like the Apple website. Nope. 

Dodge cuts $15,000 off Viper's price: the price reduction comes amid disappointing sales in a market that has shown a healthy appetite for pricey sports cars from domesic rivals. The Tesla? LOL.

The Los Angeles Times

Here we go again: "half of North American bird species threatened by climate change. By 2080, the bald eagle, could see its habitat decreased by 75%." I didn't read the article very closely, but I don't think the article mentioned the #1 threat to bald eagles: wind turbines/wind farms. So yes, it's very likely America's response to a non-problem will likely kill off the bald eagles. I used to talk about that a lot, but if the conservationists and birders didn't mind wind turbines being placed in flyways, who was I to complain. I've moved on. But an article on the future of bald eagles and no mention of wind farms ... I can't make this stuff up.