EIA's Monthly Dashboards -- November, 2020

EIA dashboards:

• EIA pdf, Bakken: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/drilling/pdf/bakken.pdf
• EIA, pdf, Permian: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/drilling/pdf/permian.pdf
• EIA, pdf, Eagle Ford: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/drilling/pdf/eagleford.pdf

Look at the size of these Bakken wells compared to the Permian wells:

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Sterling Hayden

I had not paid much attention to Sterling Hayden until I watched Dr Strangelove (again) on TCM. I didn't watch much of the movie this time; I've watched it numerous times. But the TCM presenter focused on Sterling Hayden. I was curious to learn more. Interesting story. 

How Slim Pickens ended up in the movie.

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The Big Short

I have the DVD but have never watched it. I saw the movie for the first time tonight on Pluto TV. A very, very worthwhile film. 

From wiki:

In 2005, eccentric hedge fund manager Michael Burry discovers that the United States housing market, based on high-risk subprime loans, is extremely unstable. Anticipating the market's collapse in the second quarter of 2007, as interest rates would rise from adjustable-rate mortgages, he proposes to create a credit default swap market, allowing him to bet against market-based mortgage-backed securities, for profit.

His long-term bet, exceeding $1 billion, is accepted by major investment and commercial banks but requires paying substantial monthly premiums. This sparks his main client, Lawrence Fields, to accuse him of "wasting" capital while many clients demand that he reverse and sell, but Burry refuses. Under pressure, he eventually restricts withdrawals, angering investors, and Lawrence sues Burry. Eventually, the market collapses and his fund's value increases by 489% with an overall profit (even allowing for the massive premiums) of over $2.69 billion, with Lawrence receiving $489 million alone.

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As Promised

Last night I posted a photo of my dad (and his dog) taken when he was about sixteen years old, working on his farm outside Newell, SD.

I mentioned that I would post a second photo later. Tonight is later. 

My sister found these photos at the bottom of one of her drawers; none of us -- except perhaps that one sister -- had seen these photos before. 

My father enlisted in the US Coast Guard early in WWII to avoid being drafted into the US Army. During wartime, the US Coast Guard becomes part of the US Navy. I tell Dad's story elsewhere. 

This is the photo of a farm boy on a troop carrier. It could be on the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, or the Mediterranean Sea. I'm betting the Pacific Ocean. Machts nichts. If this is 1944, dad would have been twenty-two years old.

One wonders who took the photograph, and after getting it developed how the photo ended up in Dad's hands, and then survived through the rest of the war, to somehow end up in the bottom of a drawer in a house that underwent major renovation some years ago, when much would have been thrown out. 

Early on, Dad had a huge problem with seasickness. He was about to be kicked out of the US Navy because of that but he pleaded his case in front of the ship's captain telling him that his dad (my grandfather) would be sorely disappointed if he came home before the war was over. 

Dad got over his seasickness, survived the war (in both theaters), honorably discharged, and returned back to South Dakota.