Looking For An Explanation -- May 31, 2025

Locator: 48654ISRAEL.

Dateline Chicago.

When a story doesn't make sense, follow the money.

Link here.

Rondeau, whose total compensation is more than $1 million, was appointed in 2016, after serving as the museum’s chairman and curator of modern and contemporary art. The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the country’s leading museums, and has an operating budget of $120 million.

We will never know the whole story but I bet if one could follow the money, one could explain why Rondeau was reinstated.

Dateline Tel Aviv:

Likewise, when an "old" news story is recycled and the timing of the story comes again at a particularly "newsworthy" moment, something may be about to happen. 

Bibi the The Don are in a high stakes game -- one wants to take out an Iranian research site while the country's radar defense sites are down; the other hopes to be nominated for a Nobel Prize if he can broker a peace deal in the Mideast. 

In this moment of high stakes and high tension, we get a story that is all of a sudden appearing everywhere -- a story that in various formats has been told many times over the years, but all of a sudden, the story seems to have acquired more urgency. The story: Iran now is "almost there" -- having enough weapons grade uranium for ten small thermonuclear devices. I seriously doubt anything of significance is about to happen but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

Iran needs 900 pounds of weapons-grade uranium. They have 600 pounds. Iran's radar defense sites won't be "down" forever. The International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran has increased its stockpile of highly enriched, near weapons-grade uranium by 50 percent in the last three months (February - March - April, 2025). 

California Budget Update — May 31, 2025

Locator: 48653CALIFORNIA.

From a week ago, May 23, 2025: California lawmakers reject hundreds of bills in rapid-fire hearings. Link here. 

Tax credits for the parents of young children. A state-funded scientific research institute. Exempting service workers’ tips from state income tax.

Those are among the hundreds of proposals California lawmakers swiftly rejected Friday under the banner of cost savings, as they cited the state’s $12 billion budget deficit — a worsening figure due to the threat of unprecedented federal funding cuts and California’s ballooning spending on health care for low-income residents.

May 29, 2025: to put the California budget in perspective, one needs to know this -- 

May 29, 2025: update.

Newsom’s new proposal. Many story lines. 

Newsom’s proposals are draconian, to say the least. It suggests the adults in the room have finally gotten Newsom’s attention. And it’s very, very unlikely that the Trump administration will bail Newsom out.

March 20, 2025: link here.

Biggest economic story on my mind right now? California's budget. By this summer, this may be the #1 financial story among states. California has very little wiggle room. It already has highest tax rates; highest energy costs; highest Medicaid (Medi-Cal) costs. And an unfriendly administration.

Link here.

California has taken these steps to balance the budget:

• first, unprecedented, Governor Newsom proposed a two-year budget instead of the usual one-year budget which allows him to forecast rosy tax receipts two years out to cover the huge unexpected deficit now being forecast; 
• to get to a balanced budget, even with that sleight of hand(s), Governor Newsom told the state lawmakers last week that the state needed a $3.4 billion loan to make "critical payments for Medi-Cal," as California calls Medicaid;
• well, that turned out to be a bit of smoke and mirrors; if he got the loan inserted into the spending bill, it would be easy to simply raise that loan to the amount really needed; and,
• that came this week -- it turns out the state needs $6.2 billion for "critical Medi-Cal. payments.

Governor Newsom is blaming it on two things:

• high prescription costs; and, 
• uninsured illegal immigrants

The "high prescription costs" is bogus. That's been a problem for decades. Nothing new here. 

The problem is really about uninsured illegal immigrants -- 12 million of them, most of whom come first to Texas, and then spread out to friendly states (such as California) / sanctuary cities (such as San Francisco and Los Angeles). And, yes, uninsured illegal immigrants are prescribed high-cost pharmaceuticals just as those high-cost pharmaceuticals are prescribed for insured folks. 

To me, it doesn't matter. I have no dog in this fight. I don't live in California. 

But I find it fascinating to see how Governor Newsom gets out of this one.  

Population of California: 40 million.

Medi-Cal critical payments loan: $6.2 billion.

$6.2 billion / 16 million households = $400 / household. Or about $1 / day / household. Easily manageable. 

Warren Buffett's company holds about $350 billion in cash. $6.2 billion / $350 billion = 1.8%. 

By the way, on another note, there is an obvious way to end that phenomenon of sanctuary cities.

From March 27, 2025:

Health insurance: Medicaid provides health insurance to more than 72 million Americans with limited incomes and funds long-term care for some seniors. In California, nearly 15 million people — more than a third of residents — are enrolled in Medi-Cal, the state’s version of the program. About two-thirds of funding for state Medicaid programs is federal.

From 2015:

I'm having trouble with this one. The Los Angeles Times seems to imply that this is a good news story. You decide. I'm perplexed. According to The Los Angeles Times, one in three Californians in now covered by Medi-Cal:

The state's health plan for the poor, known as Medi-Cal, now covers 12.7 million people, 1 of every 3 Californians. 

If Medi-Cal were a state of its own, it would be the nation's seventh-biggest by population; its $91-billion budget would be the country's fourth-largest, trailing only those of California, New York and Texas. 

Expanding Medi-Cal was a key part of the Affordable Care Act, the national law that overhauled the healthcare system and required nearly all Americans to have insurance starting in 2014. Under the law, Medi-Cal — historically a health program for poor families and the disabled — was opened to all low-income Californians starting two years ago, with the federal government paying for those new enrollments. 

Though a surprise, the high Medi-Cal enrollment is generally hailed as a success. 

California's uninsured population has been cut in half since Obamacare, in large part because so many Californians signed up for Medi-Cal, which is free for beneficiaries. 

The question California officials now face is how — and on days with a gloomier economic outlook, if — the massive health program can be sustained. Already, Medi-Cal is seen by many as underfunded, with patients struggling to find doctors and sometimes receiving low quality of care. A group of activists and others recently filed a federal civil rights complaint alleging that Latinos are being denied access to healthcare because the program does not pay doctors enough. 

The Affordable Care Act allowed states to open up Medicaid to anyone making less than 138% of the federal poverty level — for a single person, a couple or a four-person family, that means an annual income of less than $16,243, $21,983 and $33,465, respectively. 

In California, officials predicted that fewer than 1.5 million people would have enrolled by now. Instead, more than 4 million Californians have signed up. 

In California, state officials are discussing how they'll afford the program next year. Gov. Jerry Brown called a special legislative session this year to address funding for Medi-Cal.

Much, much more at the link. The federal government pays for 95 - 100% of the cost. The state pays for 0 - 5% of the cost. A pretty good deal for the state of California. For now.

One can assume not every Californian that qualifies has actually enrolled with Medi-Cal. Could as many as one-half of Californians qualify for "free" healthcare? If so, that's a very, very scary thought. I doubt undocumented immigrants are signing up in large numbers.  

Ford, CATL, LFP Batteries -- Boggles The Mind On So Many Levels -- Must Drive Trump Nuts -- May 31, 2025

Locator: 48652BATTERIES.

Bill Ford's message to the US Congress.

Link here.

From the linked article: 

For low-cost, mass-market electric vehicles, lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries are a clear favorite. They skip pricey materials like nickel and cobalt, offer reasonable energy density, better thermal stability and last far longer.

U.S. automakers want to build them here, but they can’t do it without federal subsidies and China’s help. Now, as those subsidies are under the woodchipper, Ford’s joint battery plant with Chinese battery maker CATL in Michigan is on shaky ground. That could spell trouble for its affordable EV plans.

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Michelle Obama and Women's Reproductive Health

Michelle was wrong on so many levels. 

Link here https://www.foxnews.com/politics/michelle-obama-facing-backlash-over-claim-about-womens-reproductive-health. 

You will have to "copy, paste and go."

I wonder if this link works. It does.

I wonder why it's called the "miracle of life." 

Is this what she feels about her own motherhood, that it really did not mean that much to her. But "reproductive health," for example research in ovarian cancer is a more important meaningful and/or gender equality is more important than the miracle of life?

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The Book Page

In spite of the really bad review of this book by another author, this book is really, really good. 

Pioneer Girl, Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Annotated Autobiography, Pamela Smith Hill, Editor, c. 2014.

I bought it o a whim -- $5.00 -- mint condition -- a "library withdrawal book" -- and am more than pleasantly surprised.

It is such an incredible book on so many levels.

Mercedes EV -- May 31, 2025

Locator: 48651EVS.

From the linked article:

The new electric Mercedes-Benz CLA is touted as the next best thing in the EV game. It’s massively efficient and can charge at up to 320 kilowatts thanks to its 800-volt architecture.

You can think of it as a smaller, more affordable Lucid Air.

However, unlike the Air, the new CLA comes with a big charging caveat. It can't use 400V DC chargers.

It all started with a tweet from an EV enthusiast from Norway known as RomingNorway on social media. He posted a screenshot of a section on Mercedes-Benz’s website that said the new CLA can only use 800V DC fast chargers and that the car’s built-in navigation system will only route drivers to compatible stations.

That doesn’t sound like a big deal at first. To take advantage of the lightning-fast charging speeds that the CLA touts, it needs a stall that can deliver 800V. The problem? Most fast chargers in the United States can’t deliver that voltage and are limited to roughly 400V. As a result, the new CLA will be limited to a handful of DC fast chargers, which negates all the technological advancements baked into it.

You can have the fastest-charging EV in the world, but its utility is severely limited if you can’t charge it anywhere. Road trips, at least for now, are out of the question.

This seemed like a mistake, so I got in touch with several people at Mercedes-Benz, both in the United States and in Europe. But it's true: the new CLA EV can’t use 400V DC chargers and can only be recharged at 800V stalls. That said, its ability to charge at home from an AC source is not affected by this rather surprising choice.

“The CLA can’t use 400V DC chargers,” a European Mercedes-Benz spokesperson told InsideEVs over email. “We consciously rely exclusively on pure 800-volt charging technology, where we do not have to make any compromises in charging performance.”

A Mercedes-Benz USA spokesperson added: “While it is not possible to charge at 400V DC charging stations, the Mercedes-Benz navigation with Electric Intelligence leads to the compatible high-performance chargers, where charging with up to 320kW is possible with the new CLA.”

That’s all well and good, but the fact of the matter is that the new CLA will come to the U.S. with a Tesla-designed NACS charging port that's essentially useless. The Supercharger network is the largest in the country, but none can deliver 800V in the U.S. This means that owners will need a CCS1 charging adapter to get juice from 800V stations that aren’t Superchargers and typically only offer CCS1 plugs.

The spokesperson added that this cannot be fixed via a software update, as it is a hardware challenge.

EV charging in America is getting faster and faster; Electrify America's network, for example, is entirely 1,000V already. But this decision will limit where the new CLA can fast-charge in various situations, which will feel like a downgrade to the ownership experience. Mercedes-Benz fitted two charging ports under the same flap—a NACS inlet and a J1772 port for AC charging. That’s a thoughtful design, but for whatever reason, the NACS port, which supports AC charging natively, can’t accept AC on the CLA, making tens of thousands of Tesla Destination Chargers unusable. Instead, American owners will have to rely on J1772 chargers to get their slow charge.

The German automaker is betting it all on charging providers ramping up the deployment of 800V stalls, which has already started happening. Cars like the Lucid Air, Lucid Gravity, Porsche Taycan, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Kia EV9 all use 800V and higher architectures to boost the charging speeds, so charging companies are catching up to cater to the growing number of EVs that can accept higher voltages.

However, all these other cars can also use older 400V stalls. The charging speeds decrease dramatically compared to using an 800V charger, but it’s still possible to get back on the road in a pinch. In the CLA EV, not so much.

From social media, most recent comment:

I knew it. Mercedes cheaped out and instead of developing a proper NACS port with combined AC/DC support, they separated the two out. So now if you want to charge at a CCS1 charger, which is nearly a complete requirement because there's no Supercharger support, you'll need to use an adapter.

And if you had any thoughts about future proofing your home with a NACS based AC charger, or if you're coming from a Tesla and already have a Tesla home charger, you'll also need an adapter at home too.

One side benefit: we should see CLA EVs leasing for $300 in 2026, just like how you can get an EQE for $550 right now cause no one wants them.

I should also add that Mercedes couldn't figure out Plug and Charge with Superchargers and as a result, they sent out a notification that Plug and Charge would be delayed indefinitely. So as a current Mercedes owner, I'm not surprised they screwed this up too.

EVs -- Headlines, Commentary -- May 31, 2025

Locator: 48650EVS.

Are you kidding me; buying a high-end luxury vehicle to drive between home and Target once or twice a week? Link here.

Real EVs in deep, deep trouble. Americans, Europeans prefer fake EVs.

Even the rich no longer want EVs. This may have finally gotten the attention of manufacturers. 

Volkswagen: European buyers want buttons -- tactile controls -- not screens. I agree wholeheartedly. I can't stand our touchscreen. Requires me to take my eyes off the road -- and at 80 mph that's not a good thing.

Waymo vs Tesla FSD: Waymo is wayahead.

Bill Ford has a warming for Congress on EV batteries: Ford wants to make affordable EVs and lithium-iron-phosphate batteries in the US but its plans are now "in peril."

Ford: actually, Ford has bigger problems than batteries. Look at the opening statement from Bill Ford regarding these LiFePh (LFP) (pronounced "life-y" or 'life-P") batteries:

• these life-y batteries:
• skip pricey and hard-to-find materials like nickel and cobalt;
• they offer reasonable energy density;
• better stability; and,
• last far longer.

And then this:

U.S. automakers want to build them here, but they can’t do it without federal subsidies and China’s help. Now, as those subsidies are under the woodchipper, Ford’s joint battery plant with Chinese battery maker CATL in Michigan is on shaky ground. That could spell trouble for its affordable EV plans.

Are you kidding me! Bill Ford says the raw materials are cheap and readily available but yet US automobile manufacturers can't build these batteries without federal subsidies and without China's help.

Hellooooo! Is anyone paying attention? 

Link here.

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Two Headlines From The Same Day -- May 14, 2025

The Mercedes-Benz CLA EV Can't Use Most Fast Chargers In The US (Updated)

• it's official: the CLA's 800V system doesn't work with 400V chargers. For now, at least.
• Julian Dnistran
• link here.
• link here, also.
  

The Mercedes CLA EV Will Work With Tesla Superchargers After All

• Mercedes-Benz backtracked on its original idea of restricting the CLA to 800V DC fast chargers
• Julian Dnistran
• link here.

But there's so much more to this story. Wow. And it will explain why Americans are not buying EVs. 

Top Stories -- New Format -- May 31, 2025

Locator: 48649TOPSTORIES.

Top stories over past few days:

• Is California insolvent? Link here. Newsom’s Medi-Cal proposals suggest the state may, in fact, be insolvent. The state is (at least) $12 billion in debt and his newest proposal would save $94 million this year. Even Sophia can do the math on this one. Newsom has bigger problems than Medi-Cal.
• US Supreme Court -- NEPA --> No-EPA
  
• the big story: the US Supreme Court was unanimous in this decision; WSJ;
  
• without question, one of the biggest stories of the year  -- on so many levels -- and the reason I decided to go back to some format of "top stories" for the blog
• also at PowerLine.
  
• US Supreme Court -- immigration, deportation
• allows Trump to step up immigration, deportation actions 
• again, a huge, huge story as the US Supreme Court tries to get a handle on the chaos in the US judicial system
• my hunch: Chief Justice Roberts knows exactly what is at risk
• tea leaves: Chief Justice Roberts:
• understands the importance of the three branches of government; and,
  
• does not want the judicial branch to become the legislative and executive branch
  
• tea leaves: the three justices with the least gravitas are starting to mature, starting to realize what is at stake; starting to be adults 
• these three "weak" justices pale in comparison to Ginsberg, Breyer, Thurgood Marshall, William Brennan, Jr; Earl Warren; 
• if these three want to have a legacy, they need to emulate that group
  
• sixth industrial revolution -- Nvidia -- supercomputers -- Nvidia has become a metonym for AI
  
• the gap between the US and the rest of the world is widening exponentially
• Microsoft unit in Moscow declares bankruptcy
• does Russia have any AI of consequence; does Putin care? 
• China/AI -- conflicting stories.
  
• Google monopoly -- most important breaking news with regard to tech: the judge overseeing the Google monopoly case seems to "get" the picture based on the story at this link
• an aside: it's easier for me to use ChatGPT than Google and ChatGPT is quickly becoming my "go-to" search engine.
  
• background: filed October 20, 2020; went to trial in September, 2023; ongoing into 2024 - 2025; almost guaranteed to be appealed; the appellate court: the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit; and then, of course, the US Supreme Court which would likely not take the case;
  
• with regard to search, Google is already facing an existential threat; if the states' AGs are successful the suit would probably end Google as we know it
• folks have already forgotten how this case even started, think Charles Dickens' Jarndyce vs Jarndyce
  
• although ChatGPT and Google search compliment each other, it's very obvious that ChatGPT will end Google as a search engine as we know it now 
• Gemini (formerly Bard): Google DeepMind
• RankBrain:
• BERT
• MUM
• TensorFlow/JA + TPUs
  
• losing Google as a search engine would have minimal effect for the end user (for "you and me," for example)
• there's no less than half a dozen AI platforms ready to step into the void
  
• existing search engines (Bing, DuckDuckGo) would not replace Google search on Apple's Safari; that's a fac', Jack
  
• once Apple loses that $20 billion / year from Google, Apple will move to another AI platform, most likely OpenAI's (think ChatGPT) based on financial considerations
  
• see more in-depth discussion over at "Backstory" -- link here.
  
• Geopolitics
• Israel/Iran smoldering; 
• is Israel about ready to take out an Iranian nuclear research site? See this post.
  
• this was a NYT breaking story May 31, 2025, but I believe it was reported some weeks ago, but apparently now it's been confirmed
• Muhammad Sinwar, a Top Military Leader of Hamas, Is Dead, Israel Says
• next up: Izz al-Din al-Haddad (next in line in northern Gaza) and Khalil al-Hayya (in exile) (whack-a-mole) 
• Ukraine: Europe allows Ukraine to attack deep into Russia
• Russia is said to have suffered casualties of as many as one million (dead and severely wounded) 
• in the first half of 2024, Russia reported just under 600,000 births, annualized to 1.2 million
• lowest number of births since 1999
• for June, 2024: monthly births fell below 100,000 for the first time ever (actual number: 98,600)
  
• just half of these, or 600,000 would be males
  
• US crude oil production hit all-time high in March, 2025; fourteen months of 13-million-plus bopd
• US inflation -- most recent report -- drops unexpectedly -- drops to 2.1% -- clearly reaching the Fed's target -- but the Fed won't move on interest rates -- says it won't make moves that would be interpreted as "political"
• Geoff Simon's quick connects, May 30, 2025. 
• Taylor Swift buys back her first six albums and associated material
• reportedly $300 million to $360 million; as much as 25% of her net worth?
• could take 25 Eras-type concerts to pay for these six albums
• there were 149 Eras concerts
  
• Taylor Swift's net worth: $1.6 billion
• average revenue from a Taylor Swift concert: see below.
  

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour: set unprecedented records in the music industry, both in total revenue and per-show earnings.

•  the tour grossed over $2.078 billion 
• 149 shows 
• averaged $14 million per concert
• Swift personally earned $15 million per show (estimate)
• excludes revenue from merchandise and resale tickets

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Museums of Fine Art

The best exhibits include a mobile device with an app that provides a most boring, soporific description of the paintings.

Suggestion: three genres of music to accompany the tour, tailored to match the artwork (app, headphones):

• classical
• easy-listening
• contemporary
• 60s - 70s
• post 70s

****************************
Must Watch On YouTube

Top of the Pops, 1964 - 2006

The most watched episode:

• Annual TOPS Christmas Special: December 25, 1979
• featured artists (varies on source), but likely included:
• Blondie "Heart of Glass"
• The Police "Message in a Bottle"
• Gloria Gaynor "I Will Survive"
• Cliff Richard "We Don't Talk Anymore"

History May Not Repeat, But It Certainly Rhymes -- May 18, 2025

Locator: 48648ARCHIVES.

Not ready for prime time.

First:

• Nifty Fifty.
  
• Peter Lynch.
• Sixth industrial revolution. 

And then there's this: I think a lot of investors are really, really afraid of getting rich.

Nifty fifty: I was way too young; completely missed this.

Peter Lynch: I was just beginning to invest. 

I wish I had paid more attention to investing at that time but was way too busy with other things in life. Had I had a good mentor, things might have been much different. My dad was my best financial / investing mentor but I failed to use all he taught me. The biggest thing he taught me was to take a bit of risk. He was not the type of person to invest in mutual funds. Mutual funds were not my biggest investment mistake -- there really wasn't anything else for someone like me at the time -- but they got me started. I vividly remember the evening I understood the difference between "load" and "no-load" funds. Thank goodness for that one evening.

SIR: mainstream media considers this the fourth industrial revolution. Whatever. 

There has never been an investment environment like the one we're seeing now. I don't like investment clubs, but one has to wonder if a twelve-member investment group made of three four-person groups wouldn't be an interesting concept:

• a younger group: age 18 - 24
• a middle aged group: 36 - 45
• the over-the-hill gang: > 65

The actual age doesn't really matter. Perhaps a better division:

• a tech-savvy group with little-to-no free cash flow for investing, but eager to get involved; let's call them the Robin Hood group;
  
• a group of those who have had about ten years of investment experience and eager to learn; and, finally, let's call them the Schwab group;
  
• a group of those who are near the end of their active investment years, but eager to share resources (time and money) and their investment experiences with the first group; the middle group would be along for the ride. Let's call the third group the Warren Buffett group.
  

Rambling. Waking up on a Saturday morning with an empty schedule. 

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Tip

Two computer screens.

One screen for all the stuff for which you've always used your computer.

The second screen with one prompt: ChatGPT or Grok.

For research: ChatGPT is where you start; Google search is where you fact-check; and YouTube is ancillary, depending on the case.

*****************************
YouTube

I'm having trouble coming up with a better all-around term for YouTube other than "social-media video-sharing outlet." I don't know a "term" to describe YouTube but it's truly amazing. And it has really stepped up its game. 

TILT: having heard some really, really great music from the Kinks over the years, I never understood why the Kinks didn't do much, much better in the states. 

Now I know: the Kinks were banned from touring in the states from 1966 through 1969. Wow, the peak years of the British invasion, the peak years of the Beatles. Touring in the states was critical for these groups to grow. I assume everyone knew this -- about the Kinks being banned in the US -- I did not. Those were exactly my coming of age years, phase 1. 

Which brings up something about which I had not previously thought. I used to lump my coming of age years in one long span, maybe 1969 - 1980. 

But now, it's the fog is beginning to clear. At least three phases.

Phase 1 -- 1966 - 1969: exactly overlaps my years in high school.

Phase 2 -- Then 1969 - 1973: exactly overlaps my years in college.

Phase 3 -- 1973 - 1977: post grad.

And that was it. I guess I would not include the years 1977 -1980. 

I missed the British invasion, too young; music was not "a thing" for me in high school. Way too young, too naive, focused on other stuff.

I did not miss the 1969 - 1973 period -- but just didn't realize at the time what was happening -- this was the transitional period in American music -- from the 60s to the early 70's (and for the most part, I either did not care for the 70s music, or I simply don't recall) -- CCR was the only band, for me, worth mentioning from this period.

I really, really missed the 1973 - 1977 era -- the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac -- I was way too busy with school. Except. One exception. And this may be the biggest fork in my music experience: Willy Nelson released "Red Headed Stranger," May 1, 1975. I don't think I had even heard of Willie Nelson prior to that. I don't know. After May 1, 1975, for me everything changed. Wow.

I got married in 1977, started my USAF career, and my coming-of-age years were over. 

******************************
YouTube

From wiki.

YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim, three former employees of PayPal.

Headquartered in San Bruno, California, it is the second-most-visited website in the world, after Google Search. In January 2024, YouTube had more than 2.7 billion monthly active users, who collectively watched more than one billion hours of videos every day. As of May 2019, videos were being uploaded to the platform at a rate of more than 500 hours of content per minute, and as of mid-2024, there were approximately 14.8 billion videos in total.

On November 13, 2006, YouTube was purchased by Google for $1.65 billion (equivalent to $2.39 billion in 2024). Google expanded YouTube's business model of generating revenue from advertisements alone, to offering paid content such as movies and exclusive content produced by and for YouTube.

It also offers YouTube Premium, a paid subscription option for watching content without ads. YouTube incorporated Google's AdSense program, generating more revenue for both YouTube and approved content creators. In 2023, YouTube's advertising revenue totaled $31.7 billion, a 2% increase from the $31.1 billion reported in 2022. From Q4 2023 to Q3 2024, YouTube's combined revenue from advertising and subscriptions exceeded $50 billion.

Since its purchase by Google, YouTube has expanded beyond the core website into mobile apps, network television, and the ability to link with other platforms. Video categories on YouTube include music videos, video clips, news, short and feature films, songs, documentaries, movie trailers, teasers, TV spots, live streams, vlogs, and more. Most content is generated by individuals, including collaborations between "YouTubers" and corporate sponsors. Established media, news, and entertainment corporations have also created and expanded their visibility to YouTube channels to reach greater audiences.

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Axions

Suggestion for ChatGPT: axions.

The Tax Man Cometh -- Two Of The Best Songs Of 1966 -- May 30, 2025

Locator: 48731TAXMAN.

A reader sent me a note regarding taxes. 

For that reader: link here.

Having just paid my taxes for calendar year 2024, the reader's note could not have come at a better time. 

Personally I don't care for the Beatles' "Tax Man."

On the other hand I love the Kinks version:

I think after a nightcap I could reminisce about my years in England, particularly the time spent along the Scottish border. It's funny. I met two of my best friends ever in northern England. After I left England, I lost all track of both of them. Sad. Probably best that I don't have a nightcap tonight. LOL. 

From ChatGPT:

The Kinks, one of the most influential British rock bands of the 1960s and beyond, have a rich catalog of music spanning multiple styles and eras. Here are some of their best and most beloved songs, covering both commercial hits and critically acclaimed deep cuts: 

Most Popular & Iconic Songs: 

1. “You Really Got Me” (1964): raw, distorted guitar riff that laid the groundwork for hard rock and punk. 

 2. “All Day and All of the Night” (1964): a powerful follow-up to “You Really Got Me,” with a similar proto-metal sound. 

3. “Waterloo Sunset” (1967): a beautifully melodic and nostalgic ballad; often considered their masterpiece. 

 4. “Sunny Afternoon” (1966): a satirical take on wealth and leisure, with a laid-back vibe. 

5. “Lola” (1970): a witty and catchy song about an ambiguous romantic encounter. 

6. “Tired of Waiting for You” (1965): combines pop sensibilities with melancholy and longing. 

7. “Victoria” (1969): a rousing, ironic anthem from the concept album Arthur. 

Critically Acclaimed Deep Cuts: 

 1. “Shangri-La” (1969): a powerful, cinematic critique of suburban life. 

2. “Big Sky” (1968): reflective and existential, from The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. 

 3. “The Village Green Preservation Society” (1968): a quirky ode to British tradition and nostalgia. 

4. “David Watts” (1967): satirical and sharply observed, with a tight, rhythmic drive. 

5. “Death of a Clown” (1967): amoody, circus-inspired tune sung by Dave Davies. 

Why They’re Important: 

• The Kinks were masters of satire, storytelling, and British cultural critique. 
• Ray Davies’ songwriting evolved from aggressive garage rock to introspective and theatrical songwriting. 
• their 1968 album The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society is now considered one of the greatest albums of all time despite its initial commercial failure. 

If you’re just getting into The Kinks, a great starting point would be their compilation albums like “The Kinks Kronikles” or “The Ultimate Collection.”

What separates the Beatles from all the rest?

All the rest had one album's worth of songs that could compete with whatever the Beatles could produce. But that was it. "All the rest" had just one album's worth of such songs. The Beatles had a dozen albums' worth of songs. 

Geoff Simon's Quick Connects -- May 30, 2025

Locator: 48730QUICKCONNECTS.

Posted. Link here. 

Also here:

• State approves drilling completion waivers due to volatile crude oil prices -- KFYR-TV

• Commentary: More investment is needed in energy innovation -- Grand Forks Herald

• Over 3M gallons of produced water spill in western North Dakota -- Dickinson Press

• ND coal mine to become processing site for Minnesota nickel -- North Dakota Monitor

• Eminent domain battle brews: Tesoro, Schaff Green family to square off -- McKenzie County Farmer

• Walsh County officials see no long-term impacts to site of Keystone Pipeline spill -- Grand Forks Herald

• Greenpeace appeal, ND jury wanted to 'punish' someone for pipeline protests -- North Dakota Monitor

• North Dakota Legislative Council to prepare briefs on special session scenarios -- Bismarck Tribune

• Sandi Sanford won't seek another term as Chairwoman of North Dakota Republican Party -- WDAY

• Thousands gather to honor fallen service members at ND Veterans Cemetery -- Bismarck Tribune

• Ethics Commission announces that Chair Dave Anderson has died at age 69 -- North Dakota Monitor

• Rep. Julie Fedorchak to host third virtual town hall to discuss 'big beautiful bill' -- Dickinson Press

• Spirit Lake, Turtle Mountain tribes ask appeals court to overturn redistricting decision -- Dickinson Press

• New measles case confirmed in Burke County, total now 28 in North Dakota -- Bismarck Tribune

• Superintendent Kirsten Baesler waiting on Senate vote for new role in Washington, D.C. -- KX News

• Reclassified as non-oil producing, Divide road repair funds uncertain due to new laws -- The Journal

• NDDOT meets with Billings, Stark County residents as Hwy 85 construction moves south -- KFYR - TV

• Williston Police Chief resigns after former city commissioner cited as reason for turmoil -- KFYR - TV

• Minot mayoral verification deadline nears as two of the four candidates submit signatures -- KX News

• Public invited to open house and info meeting for next phase of flood protection in Minot -- KFYR - TV

• Five awards were presented during the Williston Teacher Appreciation Awards Banquet -- KX News

• New classical Christian academy planned for Bakken in fall of 2026 -- McKenzie County Farmer

• Fact finding committee finds the Mapleton School District is in 'deep trouble' -- Fargo Forum

• Two summer meal programs being launched by Williston Basin School District #7 -- Williston Herald

• Bottineau college leader Carmen Simone to fill in as Lake Region president -- North Dakota Monitor

• Education issues among top regrets of lawmakers as 2025 session concluded -- Grand Forks Herald

• Some states reexamine school discipline as Trump order paves go-ahead -- North Dakota Monitor

• Climate extremists make our kids despair, and groom them to join the left's crusades -- NY Post

• MISO ignored reliability warnings before holiday blackout left New Orleans in the dark -- Daily Caller

• Dept. of Energy designates metallurgical coal as a critical material in move to boost steel -- E&E News

• Wildfire in Alberta disrupts oil and gas operations, prompts evacuation of small town -- Reuters

• Elon Musk posts "compared to solar, oil is small-time" on X; delivers gut punch to industry -- Oil Price

• Greenland will seek investments in its minerals sector from any country, including China -- Oil Price

• The "Big Beautiful Bill" must end the phasing out of wind and solar subsidies now. -- RealClearEnergy

• Wyoming lawmakers mull, again, allowing temporary storage of spent nuclear fuel waste -- WyoFile

• AI Global Leadership Summit recap from the Hamm Institute for American Energy -- YouTube

• API, AFPM Applaud Senate Vote to Overturn California Gas Car Ban -- American Petroleum Institute

• Some MN lawmakers want to extend tax breaks for energy-sucking data centers -- Minnesota Reformer

• Supreme Court limits NEPA environmental review of major infrastructure projects -- Conservative Brief

• Trump DOE kills $3 billion Biden-era green loan to financially embattled solar firm -- Daily Caller

• Congress is resurrecting the battle against the climate alarmist cult's regulatory assault -- mrcTV

• "Green" waste piles up as discarded solar panels and wind turbines pollute landfills -- The Federalist

US Crude Oil Field Production Hits All-Time Record May 30, 2025

Locator: 48729PRODUCTION.

Link here. 

Production: 

• 13.488 million bopd — an all-time record.
• In past 20 months with one exception, every month in excess of 13 million bopd.
• with not one exception, in last fourteen months, since, and including February, 2024, US crude oil production has exceeded 13 million bopd.

Note: never once has Russia or Saudi Arabia produced anywhere near 13 million bopd.

President Trump Issues Four Executive Orders To Jump-Start Nuclear Energy Resurgence In The United States -- Still Less Than 200 Days In Current Term -- May 30, 2025

Locator: 48728NUCLEARENERGY.

For the archives: President Trump signs four executive orders to jump start nuclear energy resurgence in the US. Links everywhere, I assume. One link here.

Not waiting around for US Congress to act.

Devon Energy With Four Thunderbolt Permits In Squires Oil Field, Williams County -- May 30, 2025

Locator: 48727B.

US crude oil production: hits all-time record.

Loretta Swit: "M*A*S*H"; dies at age 87. My generation is starting to see our "contemporaries" pass. Very, very difficult to take but thankful for the opportunity to have lived when we did.

Anthropic: hits $3 billion in annualized revenue on business demand for AI.

Covid vaccination guidelines: CDC breaks with RFK, Jr., CDC recommends that children also get Covid vaccine, but nuanced -- up to parents and physicians, not just elderly and high risk as recommended by RFK, Jr. For the record, we've had worse secretaries of HHS but probably not (m)any as dangerous as RFK, Jr.

Steel tariffs: President Trump says he will double steel tariffs to 50%. Comes in light of proposed deal involving Nippon Steel and US Steel.

*********************************
Back to the Bakken

WTI: $60.79.

Active rigs: 33.

Five new permits, #41969 - #31973, inclusive:

• Operators: Devon Energy (4); WGO Resources
• Fields: Squires (Williams); Wildcat (Golden Valley)
• Comments:
• WGO Resources has a permit for a wildcat, NENE 17-138-104, Golden Valley, 
• to be sited 306 FNL and 616 FEL;
• Devon Energy has permits for four Thunderbolt wells, SWSW 10-155-10, 
• to be sited 1246 / 1336 FSL and 378 FWL