Middle East: Trump and Netanyahu are re-drawing the maps and allegiances across the Mideast. Link here.
- Iran no longer wants Russian defensive military technology. Looks to China.
- China doesn't want to touch Iran for now.
Trump's new moniker: "Lawrence of Arabia" obviously doesn't work, so in the Levant and Persia, POTUS will simply accept "The Don Of the New Mideast." Or "the dawn of the new Mideast." We'll wait for Judge Boasberg to weigh in.
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Trump Accounts For Newborns
Original post: Trump Accounts For Infants And Children: The "$1,000 Trump Accounts" program proposed by President Donald Trump would be tax-deferred investment accounts for newborns, intended to give children a financial head start.
In fact, these accounts are god-awful. Absolutely worthless. They are way too limited, too many strings attached, only allow eight years total investment (birth to age eight), and when tapped, taxed at regular income rates. "529s" are so much better.
We may discuss this again later, once the bill passes, assuming it does (pass).
Updated: July 21, 2025.
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HVD
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Back to the Bakken
WTI: $67.29.
Active rigs: 30.
Nine new permits, #42077 - #42085, inclusive:
- Operators: XTO (7); Silver Hill Energy Operating (2);
- Fields: Grinnell (Williams); Cottonwood (Mountrail);
- Comments:
- Silver Hill Operating has permits for two K&L Hegstad North/South wells; SWSW 3-158-92,
- to be sited 545 FSL and 884 / 919 FWL;
- XTO Energy has permits for seven GBU Hera wells, NWSE 7-154-95,
- to be sited 1399 / 1552 FSL and 2499 / 2594 FEL.
Five permits renewed:
- CLR (4): two Charleston and two Olympia permits, Williams County; all in Brooklyn oil field, my favorite field;
- Formentera Operations: Beetle permit, Ambrose oil field;
Six permit cancellations:
- Petrogulf (4): four Three Tribes permits, McKenzie County;
- Denbury Onshore: two CHSU ML wells, Bowman County;
