Locator: 48658B.
To put this in perspective, we've just been told that this calendar year, 2025, will be the "peak year for shale oil."
EOG Resources has had three chief executive officers (CEOs) since its establishment as an independent company in 1999:
-
Mark G. Papa (1999–2013)
Mark G. Papa was the founding CEO of EOG Resources following its separation from Enron in 1999. He led the company through its formative years, establishing it as a major player in the U.S. oil and gas industry. Papa stepped down as CEO in 2013 and resigned from the board in December 2014.
-
William R. “Bill” Thomas (2014–2021)
Bill Thomas succeeded Papa as Chairman and CEO in January 2014. With over 36 years at EOG and its predecessor companies, Thomas guided the company through a period of significant growth, particularly in the development of unconventional shale resources.
-
Ezra Y. Yacob (2021–present)
Ezra Yacob became CEO and a member of the board in October 2021. He joined EOG in 2005 and held various geoscience and leadership positions before being promoted to President in January 2021. Yacob holds degrees in geology and an MBA, and has been instrumental in advancing EOG’s operational and environmental initiatives.
These leaders have each played pivotal roles in shaping EOG Resources into one of the leading independent oil and gas producers in the United States.
**************************
The Book Page
In the current issue of The New York Review of Books, May 15, 2025, there is a great review / essay by Jerome Groopman regarding measles. The two books discussed:
Booster Shots: The Urgent Lessons of Measles and the Uncertain Future of Children's Health, Adam Ratner, c. 2025; and, So Very Small: How Humans Discovered the Microcosmos, Defeated Germs -- and May Still Lose the War Against Infectious Disease, Thomas Levenson, c. 2025.
The background re: RFK, Jr., tells us just how bad his nomination / confirmation as secretary of Health and Human Services was. The good news: he has moderated his position. He won't ban childhood vaccinations but will make them optional, based on parents' choice.
We still have ivermectin.
And, so it goes.
*************************
The Hur Tapes
It's important to note that the subtitles had a major typo: "her" was supposed to be "HUR." Makes a huge difference.
Jill trying to save her husband's legacy.
They even used his diagnosis for political reasons. They came close to stealing another election from Trump. We may never know how close they came. Also, sweet irony that RFK, Jr., is the secretary for Health and Human Resources ... coming in just after the president who "launched a moonshot to cure cancer" was forced out of another term due to senility. It almost makes the nomination / confirmation of RFK, Jr., palatable. Almost.
An aside: unless we're talking about entry into the United States, any mandate for mandatory vaccination is a states' rights issue ... not a federal issue.
Jacobson v. Massachusetts (1905) was a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that addressed the constitutionality of mandatory vaccinations. Here’s why it occurred in 1905 and what made it significant:
Background of the Case
- Henning Jacobson, a Swedish immigrant and minister in Massachusetts, refused to comply with a state law requiring smallpox vaccinations during an outbreak.
- Massachusetts had passed a law allowing local boards of health to mandate smallpox vaccinations to protect public health.
- Jacobson argued that the law violated his personal liberty under the 14th Amendment.
Why 1905? The timing relates to:
- Recurring Smallpox Outbreaks: The early 1900s saw multiple smallpox outbreaks. Vaccination was a key public health strategy, but also controversial.
- Rise of Public Health Laws: Governments were beginning to assert more power in regulating public health. This case tested the limits of that authority.
- Legal Challenge to State Power: Jacobson’s challenge raised constitutional questions about the balance between individual rights and collective safety—an issue still relevant today.
Supreme Court Ruling (1905):
The Court ruled 7–2 in favor of Massachusetts, stating:
“The liberty secured by the Constitution… does not import an absolute right in each person to be, at all times and in all circumstances, wholly freed from restraint.” They upheld that:
States can mandate vaccinations in the interest of public health and safety.
Individual rights are not absolute when they threaten the wellbeing of others.
Legacy:
- This case set a key precedent for future public health laws, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- It remains a foundational case in the debate over public health vs. personal liberty.
**************************
What Else Happened in 1905?
1905: This Was A Huge Year
- The Russo-Japanese war ends, 1904 - 1905
- the Treaty of Portsmouth, mediated by US President Theodore Roosevelt ended the war.
- The Russian Revolution of 1905
- Albert Einstein's "Miracle Year": four groundbreaking papers published
- photoelectric effect (quantum theory of light)
- special theory of relativity
- mass-energy equivalence (E=mc^2)
- Brownian motion (proof of atoms' existence)
- Sigmund Freud published Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality, a foundational work in psychoanalysis.
