Happy Birthday -- July 12, 2021

Oil: Biden has few trump cards with OPEC. Link to ArgusMedia. By killing the Keystone XL, Biden has severely limited his options when dealing with OPEC. Wow, what a dufus.

Nearly six months after taking office, US president Joe Biden has finally noticed Opec. Rising gasoline prices, and the potential gift they present to his Republican opponents, have helped focus his gaze, and his team has reached out to Opec+ to resolve a continuing row over output policy. But tense relations with Saudi Arabia give Biden less scope for influencing the producer group than recent US presidents. 

Iran is Biden's potential trump card in getting more Opec oil on the market, but his promise to restore the Iran nuclear deal is proving difficult to implement. Washington and Tehran have resorted to brinkmanship since the most recent round of talks concluded last month, and Iran has not yet extended a temporary monitoring deal with UN nuclear watchdog the IAEA that expired on 24 June. This is truly amazing: his trump card is getting more OPEC oil on the market (Iran) -- after he killed the Keystone XL. The ArgusMedia article did not mention the Keystone XL.

*************************************
Happy Birthday

We're not sure where she thinks she is going, TutorTime or the beach? 

The "big" present she got for her recent birthday: two fluffy gerbils. Or are they hamsters? Whatever. Everyone was afraid her dad was going to get her the real thing. LOL.

Note: posted July 12, 2021, but her birthday is on a different day. We just tend to celebrate her birthday on/about July 10, 2021 for various reasons. 

We had a pool party for her at the apartment complex. It may have been her best birthday party ever. 

*******************************
Hulu

What I'm watching: Ramen Heads. Absolutely fascinating. I've watched two other movies on ramen; The first two were "movies" -- one was "Japanese," and one was "American"; this one is a documentary, if that makes sense. From IMDB:

In 'Ramen Heads,' Osamu Tomita, Japan's reigning king of ramen, takes us deep into his world, revealing every single step of his obsessive approach to creating the perfect soup and noodles, and his relentless search for the highest-quality ingredients. In addition to Tomita's story, the film also profiles five other notable ramen shops, each with its own philosophy and flavour, which exemplify various different aspects the ramen world.

************************
Scotch: The Mini Bottle

From whiskyadvocate, June 28, 2021:

Once relegated to airplanes and minibars, the 50 ml bottle became increasingly popular as a result of COVID-related restrictions especially among craft distillers who were kept from hosting events or opening their tasting rooms. To stay afloat, small distilleries turned to minis (which are 50 ml), sending out samples for virtual tastings, and connecting with drinkers from afar.

“Filling 50 ml bottles is notoriously difficult, and normally not known as a profit center for craft businesses, but we saw them as an investment,” says Gareth Moore, CEO of Virginia Distillery Co.. The distillery launched its first single malt, Courage and Conviction, in April 2020, at the start of the pandemic, and used 50 ml bottles as part of the rollout to reach more people.

Catoctin Creek co-founder Scott Harris says that they resisted minis at first, but eventually saw the appeal. “Store tastings have stopped completely nationwide, and without tastings, there is no easy way to get customers to try our products before committing to a larger 750 ml purchase,” he explains. But with minis of whiskeys like Roundstone Rye, Catoctin Creek can get its products into people’s glasses even without the face-to-face interaction.

The benefit of “try before you buy” applies especially to more expensive whiskies. If the pandemic left some strapped for cash, minis offer a way to sample and enjoy something new without a big outlay. James Saxon, assistant whisky maker for Compass Box, says the company has seen an uptick in sales of its 50 ml gift pack—which includes The Peat Monster, Spice Tree, and The Story of the Spaniard—and is currently exploring how to offer more whiskies in the smaller format.