RINs -- June 6, 2018 -- Off The Net For Awhile

Updates

Later, 3:32 p.m. CDT: the market closes up 346 points and CNBC calls it a pretty good day. Had the market slumped 346 points, CNBC would be suggesting a debacle due to Trump's tariff policies. Kudlow was on CNBC this afternoon. Analysts, right after the Kudlow press conference, said they were confused. Apparently investors were not confused by Kudlow. The market was up 200+ points before the Kudlow press briefing. After the Kudlow press briefing the Dow was up 346 points. Just saying.

Original Post 

I don't have much interest in this subject, but I post it for the archives and perhaps for other reasons. Whatever.

Over at SeekingAlpha, a contribution from Michael Fitzsimmons: Holly Frontier: A RIN diesel opportunity?

• demand is soaring for diesel fuel by to power Permian operators' trucks, drilling rigs, fracturing pumps, compressors, etc.
• this is a positive catalyst for local diesel suppliers like Holly Frontier
• meantime, RIN exemptions powered the recent quarterly EPS report
• with $781.5 million in cash at the end of Q1 ($4.40/share), the outlook for increased shareholder returns is excellent

This goes along with the RBN Energy post earlier this morning: Permian drilling activity drives diesel demand and projects to supply more of it. And based on what I saw during the Bakken boom it means that truck manufacturers are also being hit with huge demand.

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Developing

An FBI director defying authority is a "firing" offense. End of discussion. Period. Dot.

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Customer Satisfaction

I've talked about this before: Amazon Prime.

I was going to cancel my Amazon Prime subscription: I really don't need two-day (or even faster) delivery.

But then my wife mentioned, in passing, that she really enjoys the free movies that come with Amazon Prime.

That was just about the same time Amazon increased the subscription price for Prime from $99 to $119 -- a 20% increase on the very same day Amazon was announcing record earnings.

The other day I ordered a softcover book for a family member to be delivered to their home. The book cost about $13. Shipping, of course, was free -- which would have cost me $5 to $10 had I bought it locally and mailed it myself. Plus the inconvenience.

When it came to check out, Amazon told me that if I didn't need the book to arrive in two days, they would give me a $5 reward for letting them ship through "normal" channels, 3 - 5 business days. A no-brainer.

Today, I received the reward, expires by the end of the year. No problem.

A few more rewards like this and my $119 subscription price will effectively drop to what it was before, if not lower.

Amazon never seems to think of ways to please their customers.

$119/year seems steep, but it is amazing how one really is rewarded. It will be interesting to see how far Amazon can push the annual subscription price.

Rambling continues: companies exceeding my expectations --

• Apple
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car
• Travelocity
• Amazon
• McDonald's
• Starbucks
• Wal-Mart (although I haven't shopped in a Wal-Mart in weeks)
• Most gasoline service stations

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Passwords

Apple says they will work with third party managers to make it easier to use passwords.

It's even easier than that. Schwab now links one's touchID with their site. I "log into" my iPhone using iTouch. Now I can log into Schwab using iTouch. How much easier can it get?

[Later: I noted that Merrill Lynch offers the same. Gradually, typing in passwords across the net is going to be a thing of the past.]