Tuesday -- October 28, 2014

Active rigs:

	10/28/2014	10/28/2013	10/28/2012	10/28/2011	10/28/2010
Active Rigs	193	180	186	200	150

RBN Energy: sixth in a continuing series -- condensate takeaway in the Eagle Ford.

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For Investors

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Sears Layoffs Swell 

SeekingAlpha is reporting that Sears layoffs swell to 7,000:

More stores have been added to the tally of Sears and Kmart locations shutting down. The locations include 63 Kmart stores; 34 Sears stores; 34 Sears Auto Centers, 32 of which are associated with closing Sears stores; 1 Kmart distribution center and 1 Sears product repair facility. More locations could be added to the list. The closures are scheduled between November and January, with many stores closing before Christmas.

• layoffs: 7,000 (initial announcement was 5,000, I believe)
• closures rise to include 63 Kmart stores, 34 Sears stores, 34 Sears Auto Centers, 1 Kmart distribution center and 1 Sears product repair facility.
• Sears lists thousands of its open and operating facilities as available for full or partial lease.
• Sears says its physical stores remain "integral" to its transformation, will hire for the holidays.

I blog on the demise of the "big box store" here.

Yesterday I planned to buy a Bose remote control and a lens cover for a Canon camera locally. Before ordering on-line, I checked out Best Buy -- I haven't been in a Best Buy store in ages. I asked a Best Buy employee in customer service where either (the remote control or the lens cover) could be found. He pointed me in the direction, noting that if they didn't have the Bose remote control, a universal control would probably work. Best Buy does not carry Bose remote controllers -- not at least in this store. The lens cover was a "generic" cover -- which is fine -- but it did not state what cameras it would accommodate. Even knowing the exact size  (50 mm or 52 mm) was not adequate -- different cameras have slightly different requirements than just the size. There was no employee nearby with whom I could discuss trying a lens cover before buying ($7.98 for about 4 cents worth of plastic). I left the store without buying either. I will order the genuine article from Amazon. At the time of my visit, it was absolutely quiet; many store employees and very few customers. I get better customer service at Wal-Mart, interestingly.

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Ebola

I see the state of Maine plans to ask the nurse returning from Ebolaland vis New Jersey to "self-quarantine herself for 21 days. One would think the clock would have started when she entered the states, which must have been about a week ago. I see she has not yet been invited to the White House to be hugged by the president. I don't blame him. It's now well confirmed that the virus can survive outside the human body for a lot longer than suspected or first reported. Like on doorknobs and toilet seats.

[Update: I posted that two days ago, October 28, 2014. Today, two days later, October 30, it is being reported that the CDC is, in fact, reporting the same thing: Ebola is more easily spread than we are being told:

Ebola is a lot easier to catch than health officials have admitted — and can be contracted by contact with a doorknob contaminated by a sneeze from an infected person an hour or more before.

And there you have it.]