Notes From All Over -- The 4:00 A.M. Portland, Oregon, Edition -- May 25, 2021

Roaring '20s: wow, if this doesn't "encapsulate" the "roaring '20s" -- Bernard Arnault, CEO and majority owner of French luxury group LVMH, has surpassed Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to become the world’s richest person.

His estimated net worth currently stands at $186.3 billion, according to Forbes, nudging him past Bezos’s $186 billion in estimated wealth. Tesla founder Elon Musk stands third, with a net worth of $147 billion. 

That speaks volumes about the global economy. 

Maybe he will write a best-selling book, first: Democrats urge Justice Breyer to step down before midterms to "avoid another 'RBG' situation. Link here. I'm still "shocked" by the recent unanimous decision by the US Supreme Court on an immigration issue. I wouldn't think one could find any issue that everyone agrees upon in this political environment. 

Keeping America great. This has to be embarrassing to the Biden administration -- the US just keeps getting better and better (if one ignores what is going on in East St Louis, downtown Minneapolis, and Portland, OR, in general). In the last twenty-four hours, three stories highlighting how far the US has come:

• semiconductor chips: there's a shortage right now but it's temporary and the US will come out of this stronger than ever;
• apparently the US -- not France -- now leads the global fashion industry;
• and then agriculture -- Deere, Caterpillar both with incredibly earnings and guidance and now Cargill -- barreling toward its most profitable year ever. The $4.3 billion in net income in the first nine months of its 2021 fiscal year already surpasses its best ever annual profit. 

Energy: tea leaves suggest some huge stories yet to come out of North American energy. There have been a number of articles on significant increases in heavy oil coming out of Canada, and the CN / CP - KCS merger is certainly timely following Biden's decision to kill the Keystone. 

Hillary: how long has it been since we're heard a peep out of Hillary? Asking for a friend.

Golf: I did not know that Bryson and Koepka were a "thing." 

Golf: Phil Mickelson is back. Coming out of the Byron Nelson tournament a week ago, Phil Mickelson was ranked #147 in the FedEx standings. After the PGA Tournament, Phil moved into 45th place. He is now 950 points behind the tour leader. Only the top 30 get into the FedEx tour championship. The "cut" right now is Charley Hoffman, #30, 720 points behind the leader Bryson. Koepka is #11. 

Love is the answer. John Kennedy. Link here.

******************************
Photo By Sophia

My new Skechers from Belk. I think these are the ones Tony Romo wears in the commercials. 

$59 at Belk after a 20% discount.

$59 at Amazon.com -- but no discount.

I was able to find 9.5 wide at Belk but Amazon has sold out of the 9.5 wide. The "regular" width 9.5 is available at Amazon. 

But the nice thing about Belk / Amazon. I can now re-order from Amazon if/when necessary -- now that I have the perfect fit and style. What a great country

By the way, it didn't get much press but if Amazon is successful buying MGM -- wow, what a story. Amazon Prime Video was already quite incredible; now add the MGM catalogue. Are you kidding me?