Apple Products: They Just Work -- May 4, 2026

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This is why I love Apple. It simply works. I've been using an HP Envy 6000 printer to print and scan from my very old MacBook Air and it has worked perfectly. I love it. 

This past year we bought a very, very new M4 MacBook Air for my wife which she has been using for printing. However, last night when she tried to scan a document, we couldn't find the icon for scanning.

I asked Google Gemini: the explanation was long and suggested everything I did not want to do at almost any cost -- and then I realized Gemini assumed I was using a PC. Re-asking the question but specifying I was using an Apple laptop and not a PC, the answer was essentially a single line reply and the answer was perfect, and with a couple of key strokes everything worked. 

First query:

I'm trying to scan using my HP 6000 Envy. I can see the "print" icon but the icon for scanning is not there. What happened?

Reply: 

Everything above suggested that Gemini was trying to solve a problem for a PC, not an Apple.

So, I asked again, specifically pointing out I was using a MacBook Air.

Revised query:

I'm trying to scan using my MacBook Air and HP 6000 Envy.  I can see the "print" icon but the icon for scanning is not there. What happened?

Solution for Apple:

Use Apple’s built-in Image Capture (found in Finder > Applications) or the "Printers & Scanners" section in System Settings. But it's even simpler than that: 

Apple Image Capture: Open Image Capture via Spotlight Search (Cmd + Space) to scan without HP software.

For Apple, literally, "Command-Space" sequentially, holding both down and type in "Image Capture" in the dialogue box and it's ready to go.  

Manic Monday -- More Mideast Mischief -- May 4, 2026

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WTI: $102.30.

New wells reporting:

• Tuesday, May 5, 2026: 12 for the month, 112 for the quarter, 269 for the year,  
• 41359, conf, Devon Energy, Marvin 27-34 2H, 
• Monday, May 4, 2026: 11 for the month, 111 for the quarter, 268 for the year,  
• 42206, conf,  Silver Hill Energy, Minnesota W 158-92-4-28-1MBHX,
• 41845, conf, Hunt Oil, Kandiyohi 159-90-5-17H-3, 
• Sunday, May 3, 2026: 9 for the month, 109 for the quarter, 266 for the year,  
• 42379, conf, Silver Hill Energy, Nebraska E 158-92-5-29-20MBHX
• 42187, conf, BR, Omlid 8-8-7-TFH-ULW, 
• Saturday, May 2, 2026: 7 for the month, 107 for the quarter, 264 for the year,  
• 42205, conf, Silver Hill Energy, Nebraska E 158-92-5-29-3MBHX, 

RBN Energy: Shell's ARC Resources deal affirms focus on low-carbon LNG, liquids growth. Link here. Archived.

Shell’s recently announced agreement to acquire Western Canadian E&P ARC Resources Ltd. for C$22 billion (US$16.4 billion) affirms the global energy giant’s new strategic focus, enhances the prospects for Phase 2 of the LNG Canada megaproject, and supports the view that the Montney Shale may be replacing the Permian as the epicenter of oil and gas M&A. In today’s RBN blog, we discuss the ARC Resources deal — Shell’s largest in 11 years — and what it means for Shell, Western Canada and the Asia-Pacific LNG market.

At its Capital Markets Day (CMD) in June 2023, Shell’s then-new CEO, Wael Sawan, said that while the London-based company would maintain its effort to ratchet down carbon emissions, it would be pivoting from its years-old strategy of reducing liquids production and ramping up renewables. Shell’s new focus, he said, would be on capital discipline, divesting low-margin assets, expanding its “integrated gas” business (natural gas production and LNG exports), and maintaining its crude oil and NGL output. The theme? “Delivering more value with less emissions.”

At Shell’s next CMD in March 2025, Sawan said the new strategy was working, noting that supplying LNG “will be the biggest contribution we will make to the energy transition over the next decade and we are positioning our portfolio to match this.” He added that “continued investment in oil will be needed to offset the natural decline rates of oil fields.”

Shell announced April 27 that it had reached a definitive agreement to acquire ARC Resources of Calgary, AB, which is the largest pure-play producer in the Montney Shale, the largest condensate producer and third-largest natural gas producer in Canada. The deal is expected to close in H2 2026, subject to ARC shareholder, court and regulatory approvals. In a presentation the following day, Sawan said, “As we outlined at our Capital Markets Day, where we see value, we will take the opportunity to add high-margin, low-cost and lower-carbon-intensity production to our portfolio in areas where we have competitive advantages. ARC delivers exactly that,” he said, noting that ARC has a substantial portfolio of Tier 1 undeveloped inventory of liquids-rich gas complementary to Shell’s Montney assets.

Figure 1. Shell’s and ARC Resources’ Production Assets in the Montney. Sources: Shell, ARC Resources

Even In This Market, As An Investor Can You Imagine Being In 40% Cash? May 4, 2026

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Query :

Does BRK's cash horde of almost $400 billion represent 40% of BRK's market value of $1 trillion? 

Reply:

 

 

BRK's top five holdings, link here:

 

Concentration: talking heads on CNBC constantly worry about 75% of the S&P being concentrated in seven companies.

The S&P 500 is a stock market index composed entirely of equity (publicly traded stocks), not cash. 

While it tracks companies that hold massive amounts of cash on their balance sheets (over $1 trillion collectively), the index itself is a market-cap-weighted portfolio of shares representing 80% of U.S. market value. 

That's interesting. 

In the S&P, "over" $1 trillion in cash is buried in the companies themselves. 

I don't know what "over" $1 trillion really is but one assumes just that, "over" $1 trillion" but less less than $1.5 trillion. 

BRK ($400 billion) and AAPL ($150 billion) would account for $550 billion of that "over" $1 trillion. Wow. Again, the S&P 500 is composed of 500 companies.

Rounded.

• Market value BRK: $1,000 billion
• Cash: $400 billion
• Total equity portfolio: $275 billion
• AAPL: $60 billion
• AMEX: $60 billion
• BofA: $30 billion
• KO: $30 billion

As an investor, even in this crazy market, could you imagine holding 40% in cash for the past two years?