Amazon's Home-Grown Chips -- Additionally, AWS Unveiled Apple As One Of Its Newest Chip Customers -- December 3, 2024

Locator: 44496AWS.

Could this be the most interesting investing .... 

Tag: Apple, AAPL Supercomputer

Link here.

From the linked article:

Amazon’s cloud computing arm Amazon Web Services Tuesday announced plans for an “Ultracluster,” a massive AI supercomputer made up of hundreds of thousands of its homegrown Trainium chips, as well as a new server, the latest efforts by its AI chip design lab based in Austin, Texas.

The chip cluster will be used by the AI startup Anthropic, in which the retail and cloud-computing giant recently invested an additional $4 billion. The cluster, called Project Rainier, will be located in the U.S. When ready in 2025, it will be one of the largest in the world for training AI models, according to Dave Brown, Amazon Web Services’ vice president of compute and networking services.

Amazon Web Services also announced a new server called Ultraserver, made up of 64 of its own interconnected chips, at its annual re:Invent conference in Las Vegas Tuesday.

Additionally, AWS on Tuesday unveiled Apple as one of its newest chip customers.

Combined, Tuesday’s announcements underscore AWS’s commitment to Trainium, the in-house-designed silicon the company is positioning as a viable alternative to the graphics processing units, or GPUs, sold by chip giant Nvidia.

Is this why AAPL "surged" today -- well, at least "surged" a little today.

**********************************
Disclaimer
Brief Reminder 

• I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• See disclaimer. This is not an investment site. 
• Disclaimer: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment, financial, job, career, travel, or relationship decisions based on what you read here or think you may have read here. All my posts are done quickly: there will be content and typographical errors. If something appears wrong, it probably is. Feel free to fact check everything.
  
• If anything on any of my posts is important to you, go to the source. If/when I find typographical / content errors, I will correct them. 
• Reminder: I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• And now, Nvidia, also. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Nvidia.
• Longer version here.

Intel -- The Verge -- December 3, 2024

Locator: 44495INTEL.

What happened? Link to The Verge, December 3, 2024.

Tag: amazing story Paul Otellini Moore Gelsinger Andy Grove

On Monday, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger abruptly decided to retire after less than four years on the job. That was the official story, anyhow. Within hours, Reuters, Bloomberg, and The New York Times had a different one: the board of directors pushed him out.

Three and a half years ago, Gelsinger announced an ambitious plan to turn around the troubled chipmaker within four years — now, he’s reportedly been kicked out of the company before he could see it through. It happened so abruptly that Intel doesn’t have a planned successor in mind, and so completely that Gelsinger won’t even stick around as an adviser. He’s gone.

Intel has been in a tailspin for years. It missed the smartphone revolution, has been plagued by quality control issues with its chips, lost customers like Apple to alternative processors, and now is at risk of missing out on AI, too.

The summer Intel fell behind, link here. 

And going down that rabbit hole eventually takes one to a most interesting story at The Guardian, link here, from 2013!!!

Which then takes one to the interview at The Atlantic! Link here.

Fascinating, fascinating, fascinating.

WTI Jumps On Iranian Sanctions; OPEC Delay -- December 3, 2024

Locator: 44494B.

Tricare regional changes, link here.

Global warming:

Iran's energy shortage, link here:

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Back to the Bakken

WTI: jumps 2.7% today; up $1.84; trading at $69.94. On news that sanctions are hurting Iran, perhaps more than previously reported?

From Rigzone:

WTI: $69.96.

Active rigs: 36.

Five new permits, #41387 - #41391, inclusive:

• Operators: Hess (3); Grayson Mill, Petro-Hunt
• Fields: Ellsworth (McKenzie); Alger (Mountrail); East Tioga (Mountrail)
• Comments:
• Petro-Hunt has a permit for Jensen well SWSE 28-158-94, 
• to be sited 216 FSL and 1321 FEL;
• Grayson Mill (Devon) has a permit for a Clifford Bakke well, NENW 26-155-92; 
• to be sited 386 FNL and 1849 FWL;
• Hess has permits for two BW Barbar Ann wells and one BW Sharen Lynor well, NWNE 20-149-100; 
• to be sited 470 FNL and at the following distances FEL: 2636, 2603, and 2537.

Two permits renewed:

• Formentera Operations, two FLX4 wells, Burke County.

Five producing wells (DUCs) reported as completed:

• 40489, 669, Oasis, Lee S 5201 21-8 3B, McKenzie County;
• 40494, 820, Oasis, Lee S 5201 21-5 6B, McKenzie County;
• 40499, 667, Oasis, Lee S 5201 21-8 2B, McKenzie County;
• 40500, 690, Oasis, Lee S 5201 21-8 4B, McKenzie County;
• 40501, 762, Oasis, Lee S 5201 21-8 5B, McKenzie County;

Change of operator: about 30 wells from Kaiser-Francis Company to Morningstar Operating; all in Stark County.

Apple (AAPL) Today -- December 3, 2024

Locator: 44493AAPL.

See disclaimer.

From October 18, 2024, link here:

Apple: "the Judge" has it exactly right. A lot of folks have been burned fighting the Apple story. Most notable: Carter Worth and Dan Nathan on "Fast Money," CNBC.  

Today: second day in a row, 52-week high --

And, on "Fast Money" today, Nathan is bashing Apple again. LOL.

Amazon Update -- Anthropic -- December 3, 2024

Locator: 44492AMAZON.

Tag: Anthropic AI compute cluster

Link to The Verge. 

**********************************
Disclaimer
Brief Reminder 

• I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• See disclaimer. This is not an investment site. 
• Disclaimer: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment, financial, job, career, travel, or relationship decisions based on what you read here or think you may have read here. All my posts are done quickly: there will be content and typographical errors. If something appears wrong, it probably is. Feel free to fact check everything.
  
• If anything on any of my posts is important to you, go to the source. If/when I find typographical / content errors, I will correct them. 
• Reminder: I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• And now, Nvidia, also. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Nvidia.
• Longer version here.

Markets Heading For Record Highs At The Close -- Ticker Update: AAPL, BRK-B, SNOW -- December 3, 2024

Locator: 44491INVESTING.

NASDAQ, S&P 500: trending for new record highs at the close.

Apple (AAPL): hitting a new 52-week high -- two days in a row -- just crossed over $242.

See this note.

Currently, one of the biggest drags on Sophia's portfolio:

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Inflation Watch: Rent

We live north of Ft Worth, to the west of the airport (DFW), and in a upper-middle class neighborhood in one of the nice apartment complexes in the area, just a couple of miles away from downtown Grapevine, the Texas destination for all things Christmas.

We've lived here for many, many years. The growth is amazing and yet I've never seen an offer like this in all these years:

**********************************
Disclaimer
Brief Reminder 

• I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• See disclaimer. This is not an investment site. 
• Disclaimer: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment, financial, job, career, travel, or relationship decisions based on what you read here or think you may have read here. All my posts are done quickly: there will be content and typographical errors. If something appears wrong, it probably is. Feel free to fact check everything.
  
• If anything on any of my posts is important to you, go to the source. If/when I find typographical / content errors, I will correct them. 
• Reminder: I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• And now, Nvidia, also. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Nvidia.
• Longer version here.

The Day The Music Died -- This Can't Be Good News For Summit -- December 3, 2024

Locator: 44490CCS.

Link here.

Wolf Carbon Solutions is withdrawing its petition to build a 95-mile carbon capture pipeline through eastern Iowa, according to a filing Monday with the Iowa Utilities Commission.

Wolf planned to capture carbon dioxide emissions at Archer Daniel Midland Co. ethanol plants in Cedar Rapids and Clinton, liquefy it under pressure and transport it to Illinois to be sequestered deep underground.

It’s unclear whether the Colorado-based company will reapply, saying in the filing it would “make a determination” once “more certainty exists concerning its plans to proceed.” The company, working in partnership with ADM on the project, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

It’s the second company to withdraw its petition to build a carbon capture pipeline. Last year, Navigator CO2 Ventures permanently withdrew its plans to build a $3.5 billion carbon capture pipeline after running into regulatory and legislative challenges in Iowa, South Dakota and elsewhere.

Update on Summit -- link here, December 3, 2024:

In contrast, Summit Carbon Solutions is progressing with its $8 billion carbon capture pipeline project across Iowa and four other states. The company, now collaborating with ethanol producers who had previously partnered with Navigator CO2 Ventures, secured regulatory approval for its Iowa pipeline in June and received the green light from North Dakota regulators last month.

Photo Op -- December 3, 2024

Locator: 44489TRUMP.

Love him or hate him. There are going to be a lot of photo ops these next four years.

Think of something else more exciting than visiting Notre Dame on the day of its grand opening, just at the start of the Christmas season.

President-elect Trump will be at the grand opening this weekend. 

My hunch: huge coverage.

Speaking of which: has anyone seen any coverage of Biden's trip to Angola? Apparently he arrived yesterday.

Cramer's First Hour, Part 4 -- December 3, 2024

Locator: 44488CRAMER.

See disclaimer. Especially the part about typographical and content errors. My most common typographical error: "now" for "not" or vice versa. Example:

• I am now investing.
• I am not investing.

Cramer's first hour: a mix of facts, factoids, opinions from various sources -- often not cited -- while listening to Cramer's first hour on CNBC.  

ATT: surges. Up 3.5%. Later, up 4.5%.

Trump: against the "steel deal." US Steel Corp drops 7%. But the deal will close before January 20th -- up to Biden. David Faber on CNBC. Needs to be fact-checked. Everyone will sue everyone if the deal is blocked.

IRA conversion: I've covered this numerous times -- maybe not on this blog, but elsewhere -- regardless. 

A lot of folks are missing the big story. Traditional IRAs were first offered in 1974. My first "real" paycheck was 1977 and I began investing that year (or shortly thereafter) -- I forget the specifics -- and opened the first of several IRAs that year (or shortly thereafter). So, let's say 1980. Those IRAs have been growing tax-free for forty-four years. I haven't paid any tax on those investments for forty-year years. Now I'm required to withdraw about 4% from those accounts on which I will pay federal tax (no state tax) on the withdrawals.

Regardless of whether a Roth conversion makes sense or not, I'm simply blown away that my IRAs have been growing tax-free for 44 years, and now I owe federal taxes on 4% of their value (EOY, 2023). I just can't get too excited over these discussions about conversion. Know what will make a bigger difference than a conversion? Continued investing going forward.

Investing: active duty military and other federal employees (including US postal workers) can maximize IRAs (traditional and Roth), 401(k)s, TSPs, 529s, and a pension. Not tax-free, but if one has any money left over, then EFTs.

**********************************
Disclaimer
Brief Reminder 

• I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• See disclaimer. This is not an investment site. 
• Disclaimer: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment, financial, job, career, travel, or relationship decisions based on what you read here or think you may have read here. All my posts are done quickly: there will be content and typographical errors. If something appears wrong, it probably is. Feel free to fact check everything.
  
• If anything on any of my posts is important to you, go to the source. If/when I find typographical / content errors, I will correct them. 
• Reminder: I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• And now, Nvidia, also. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Nvidia.
• Longer version here.

Cramer's First Hour, Part 3 -- December 3, 2024

Locator: 44487CRAMER.

See disclaimer. Especially the part about typographical and content errors. 

Cramer's first hour: a mix of facts, factoids, opinions from various sources -- often not cited -- while listening to Cramer's first hour on CNBC.  

The Trump revolution: will die as soon as soon as Mike Johnson and John Thune gavel the first sessions to order. But we can dream, can't we?

My favorite things: maybe it's time to emulate Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey with "my favorite things" for this holiday buying season .... LOL. If so, let's start with a camera.

W. B. Yeats: re-posting. The other day -- I guess it was yesterday -- a reader said he/she had difficulty putting a comment on my site -- yes, I pretty much quit with the comments -- too much negativity -- comments seldom moved the conversation constructively along -- I post at least 50 "line items" daily; at least three major blogs each day; and folks will comment on one data point that I posted. Along that line, I've even quit reading letters to The New Yorker editor; they so seldom add anything to the discussion but I digress. 

There are exceptions -- like a great note from a reader yesterday -- so don't take this out of context. And I can't thank a reader enough for mentioning AVGO to Sophia and to me two years ago.

The blog is now my life; I live and breathe the blog. To know me is to know my blog; to know my blog is to know me. W. B. Yeats said it better:

Depression: I can't put my finger on it, but I sense I'm about ready to experience a pretty significant depression. Memo to myself. This, too, shall pass.

**********************************
Disclaimer
Brief Reminder 

• I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• See disclaimer. This is not an investment site. 
• Disclaimer: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment, financial, job, career, travel, or relationship decisions based on what you read here or think you may have read here. All my posts are done quickly: there will be content and typographical errors. If something appears wrong, it probably is. Feel free to fact check everything.
  
• If anything on any of my posts is important to you, go to the source. If/when I find typographical / content errors, I will correct them. 
• Reminder: I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• And now, Nvidia, also. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Nvidia.
• Longer version here.

Cramer's First Hour, Part 2 -- December 3, 2024

Locator: 44486CRAMER.

Cramer's first hour: a mix of facts, factoids, opinions from various sources -- often not cited -- while listening to Cramer's first hour on CNBC.  

Trump: best suggestion so far this week -- Canada, not Puerto Rico -- should become the 51st state. Maybe just western Canada -- annex it to Alaska, excluding a bit of British Columbia.

Market: I think I heard "the market" was up 20% two years ago; will be up 29% this year -- all that talk about a recession? And now, GDP with a 3-handle, an incredible jobs story (in the US) and the Fed is still thinking about another cut. Even Jim Cramer says "no" to that.  

Sophia's investing: hit some major milestones this year.

Next big thing: no, not really. This is not the "next big thing." It's been around for quite some time. Subscriptions. Mark Rober. YouTube. Years ago, I suggested Apple needs to get into the subscription model with regard its hardware. Haven't seen it yet. Still hoping. Would be I put $100 / month into Apple for an Apple subscription for an iPhone upgrade every year and a laptop upgrade every two years. I think so.

Art Cashin: finally, CNBC is getting around to "remembering" this icon. Eighty-three years old. Wow, I never noticed this before. The Squawk Box folks now have two -- count 'em -- two laptops in front of each of the taking heads. Amazing. Too bad they're not using the best, but again, CNBC is part of the Microsoft universe.

Intel: I've never seen such a negative review / interview as this one on CNBC this morning on Intel. Absolutely amazing. Again, I will try to find the link later today, but will probably forget.  

No Green No More: GM pulling out of EV initiative in Michigan. Huge, huge story. This story is just part of a much bigger story. Even Kernan was amazed. GM getting out of the battery business completely. No matter how Mary Barra spins it, this is a huge story.

Tech: just one of many examples. There are two camps --

• the AI revolution is all hype (pretty much the line "Fast Money" has taken)
• the AI revolution is real.
• I'm in the second camp.
• I just cringe when I think of all the "things" I missed the past two years.  But then again, slow and steady and I have no real concerns. Buffett's first law: don't lose money. Buffett's second law should have been: don't leave money on the table. AAPL. SNOW.
  

Exhibit A: CRDO -- up 230% this year, and will surge at the open today -- 

• today:

• year-to-date:

**********************************
Disclaimer
Brief Reminder 

• I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• See disclaimer. This is not an investment site. 
• Disclaimer: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment, financial, job, career, travel, or relationship decisions based on what you read here or think you may have read here. All my posts are done quickly: there will be content and typographical errors. If something appears wrong, it probably is. Feel free to fact check everything.
  
• If anything on any of my posts is important to you, go to the source. If/when I find typographical / content errors, I will correct them. 
• Reminder: I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• And now, Nvidia, also. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Nvidia.
• Longer version here.

Cramer's First Hour, Part 1 -- December 3, 2024

Locator: 44485CRAMER.

Cramer's first hour: a mix of facts, factoids, opinions from various sources -- often not cited -- while listening to Cramer's first hour on CNBC. 

Thanksgiving travel:

• United Airlines, incredible. I will try to find the CNBC interview later. This is simply amazing. The numbers being reported for Sunday after Thanksgiving are simply staggering. 

Airbus.

Pre-market: both AAPL and NVDA hold gains from yesterday. 

Peter Zeihan today: no shale oil for Europe -- we've known this for two decades --

ATT.

ISONE: now $215. Link here. Again, $215. And using more coal than wind.

The election: it was not "turnout" that doomed Kamala. It was the message. The New York Times. Link here. From the essay:

During the campaign, The New York Times and Siena College polled many of these voters. After the election, we analyzed election records to see who did and didn’t vote. The results suggest that higher turnout wouldn’t have been an enormous help to Harris.

That may be surprising. It’s not usually how people think about turnout. Typically, turnout and party-switching are imagined as independent. After all, millions of voters are all but sure to vote for one party, and the only question is whether they’ll vote. In lower-turnout midterms and special elections, turnout can be the whole ballgame.

But in a presidential election, turnout and persuasion often go hand in hand. The voters who may or may not show up are different from the rest of the electorate. They’re less ideological. They’re less likely to be partisans, even if they’re registered with a party. They’re less likely to have deep views on the issues. They don’t get their news from traditional media.

Throughout the race, polls found that Trump’s strength was concentrated among these voters. Many were registered Democrats or Biden voters four years ago. But they weren’t acting like Democrats in 2024. They were more concerned by pocketbook issues than democracy or abortion rights. If they decided to vote, many said they would back Trump.

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Recipes: Meatloaf

Once Thanksgiving leftovers are gone, homemade meatloaf?

**********************************
Disclaimer
Brief Reminder 

• I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• See disclaimer. This is not an investment site. 
• Disclaimer: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment, financial, job, career, travel, or relationship decisions based on what you read here or think you may have read here. All my posts are done quickly: there will be content and typographical errors. If something appears wrong, it probably is. Feel free to fact check everything.
  
• If anything on any of my posts is important to you, go to the source. If/when I find typographical / content errors, I will correct them. 
• Reminder: I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• And now, Nvidia, also. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Nvidia.
• Longer version here.

Taco Tuesday -- December 3, 2024

Locator: 44484B.

Morning Joe: biggest political story of the year, and Morning Joe still refuses to cover it. Wow. Cold open today with list of stories they will be covering in the first hour, and the pardon is not even mentioned in passing.

Meanwhile, the pardon is the story. Exhibit A: the front page of The New York Times.

So, we move over to CNBC, another streaming network (along with MSNBC) that Comcast will spin off.

Posting: I will try to post political stuff to another blog today; avoid posting on themilliondollarway. Including The New York Times newsletter today. Unlike Morning Joe, The New Yorks (and everyone else) is covering The Pardon:

From "The View":  

Bottom line: this will not age well. Hunter will fade into the background, never to be heard from again, a mere footnote in a Biden biography. But this is Biden's legacy, sandwiched between two Trump presidencies who got out of the race too late when he said he would be a transition president and then, in one of his last official acts as president, pardoned his son after denying for four years he would do that (pardon his son). And worse, it opens the door for Trump pardons. And unlike Biden, Trump won't wait for the end of his term to start issuing his pardons. Again, I'm not saying this was not the fatherly thing to do; I'm just saying that it won't age well. It again raises an interesting question: does "doing a moral thing," make it right. Wow.

SpaceX: considering tender offer of roughly $350 billion. 

ISO-NE: $180 this morning. Link here. Let that sink in for awhile. $180. Wind, 1.16%; coal, 2%; solar, 0%. nuclear,  23%, net imports, 20%. Texas (ERCOT): no imports as far as I know. Could be wrong. Wind? Huge component.

Bluesky not reporting but X is, link here. Syria update, with map, link here.

Bluesky not reporting but X is, link here. 51st state: Trump, 1; Trudeau, 0 --

Linked earlier, mentioned earlier, not sure if I ever posted this:

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Back to the Bakken

WTI: $68.69.

Wednesday, December 4, 2024: 9 for the month; 113 for the quarter, 644 for the year

• 40759, conf, Slawson Explortation, Fish Finder 5-21-9H,
• 39747, conf, Hess, RS-F Nelson-156-92-2413H-2
• 39590, conf, Grayson Mill, Niles 19-22F 4H,
• 39589, conf, Grayson Mill, Niles 19-22F 3H,
• 39588, conf, Grayson Mill, Niles 19-22F 2H,
• 33973, conf, Enerplus, Titanium 147-93-16A-21H,

Tuesday, December 3, 2024: 3 for the month; 107 for the quarter, 638 for the year

• 39750, conf, Hess, RS-F Nelson-156-91-2413H-5,

RBN Energy: with power deman on the rise, could new nuclear units be added to old coal sites?

Soaring demand for around-the-clock electricity, tied to the development of large-scale data centers, has sparked a renewed interest in carbon-free nuclear power. Given that conventional nuclear plants can be very challenging to site and permit, there’s been a lot of talk about installing small modular reactors (SMRs) at the sites of coal-fired power plants that have been taken offline for environmental and economic reasons but still have critical connections to the power grid and other infrastructure.