Notes From All Over -- Part 1 -- March 23, 2022

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SCHD: yearly "reconstitution" --

• adds 14 new stocks;
• eliminates 13; many were spinoffs
• EOG: largest new holding;
• most significant deletion: Emerson Electric; still a fine investment but with a dropping yield;
• of the 14 new ones, 13 deleted, not caught my eye, except, EOG, of course

XOM: this is no dead cat bounce; next up, $95. Also at SeekingAlpha. 

Demand destruction: all of my rich friends have money. 

Tanking: MLB. Poster child: Cincinnati Reds. Link to The WSJ. 

Covid-19: last night I spent about twenty minutes looking at the data regarding active cases of Covid-19 in the US. 

I have never seen anything drop so fast. We're trending toward "zero" in most states. It is incredible. This morning, I see this headline in The WSJ: the Biden administration will stop reimbursing hospitals (and this included emergency rooms) for Covid-19 care for the uninsured. Coincidence? 

Healthcare cocers are scrambling to find new diagnostic code to replace Covid-19 that will still qualify for reimbursement for the uninsured. First guess? "Seasonal flu." Covid-19 will go away faster than anyone could imagine. This is not rocket science.

Corroboration?

• Germany: cases are surging;
• France: even worse; after dropping precipitously, cases now on the rise again;
• UK: same as France; after dropping precipitously, cases now on the rise again;
• Italy: ditto.

?

• Assuming cases in Europe continue to spike and Covid-19 goes away in the US, one has to ask, why?

Speaking of Covid: more and more folks are disregarding federal mandates on masking in the DFW airport. I noticed that two nights ago when I picked up Olivia at the airport coming in from Phoenix after her soccer tournament.

Ya think? Investors now buy 33% of all the homes in the US. Link here. By their definition, I've invested in property in Montana. Not true. I bought the lot from my mother decades ago and will leave it for my grandchildren. I never saw it as investment property. Although, I suppose, in a way I did. Whatever. 

Agree 1,000%: Russian billionaires who have long sheltered their fortunes abroad are rushing to move their assets; they have few options. Link here.

Agriculture: China faces what could be the worst crop conditions ever because of extreme weather. Link here. More renewable energy will help. Like ethanol from corn.