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Sunday, May 10, 2026

The Book Page -- Ulysses S Grant -- May 10, 2026

Locator: 50780LIFEWRITING.  

For the writer in our family.  

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The Book Page

I'm reading The Annotated Memoirs of Ulysses S Grant. The editor uses the phrase "life writing" rather than "autobiography."

Query: do English and literature scholars prefer the term "life writing" to autobiography? 

Reply:


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Sweetgreen (SG) 1Q26 Earnings Transcript -- May 10, 2026

Locator: 50779SWEETGREEN. 

Link here. 

Some think the CEO is completely out to lunch (pun intended). 

From the CEO, with regard to their wraps:  

Early in development, we were unable to find a tortilla in the foodservice market that met our standards. So we partnered to create one made with only 4 ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, unbleached and unenriched wheat flour, sea salt and water, with no preservatives. 
Guests can taste and feel the difference with social reviews consistently highlighting the quality and flavor of the tortilla. 
The energy around the test leading into yesterday's launch has been incredible. Wraps are already appearing in a meaningful share of social content tagging Sweetgreen with positive sentiment of around 85%. 
Guests are responding to the value with entry price points starting at $10.45 and ranging up to $14.95.  

These were the entry price points: as high as $14.95.

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Morningstar -- Sunday Night Futures -- May 10, 2026

Locator: 50778IRAN. 

Late this evening Trump said Iran's reply to the US 14-point proposal to end the war was "totally unacceptable."

From Morningstar about half-an-hour ago, link here: 

Forget the "raw" numbers, look at the percents:

  • Dow: down 0.3%;
  • S&P 500: down 0.2%;
  • NASDAQ-100: down 0.1%.

Inconsequential.

WTI: trending toward $100 again. 

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The Medical Page


Link here. 

The "routines":

  • treatment of actinic keratoses:
  • Synthroid for subclinical hypothyroidism; and,
  • routine colonoscopies after age 76.

The biggie of course is routine colonoscopy after age 76. Family practice physicians call it "aging out for routine colonoscopies."

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Cream Of Tartar; Meringue -- For A Reader -- May 10, 2026

Locator: 50777MERINGUE. 

This entry is for a certain reader, who I am told, reads the blog religiously. I did not know that, or course. 

I know she is a recent college graduate but not much more than that. It does not matter. I simply wanted to post something that she might enjoy, now that I know she reads the blog every day.  

Somehow "meringue" came up in our discussion earlier today about desserts while celebrating "Mother's Day." Our oldest granddaughter was part of the discussion. We always joke that she knows something about everything. 

I knew meringue was egg whites and sugar, but our oldest granddaughter reminded us that meringue generally includes cream of tartar. I didn't know why cream of tartar was used but later I asked: 

Query: What is important about an "acidic" agreement when mixing egg white and sugar to prepare meringue?

Reply:  

I was well aware of cream of tartar and its use in cooking but never asked why until now.

And, then as she usually does, our granddaughter casually mentioned / asked / suggested that cream of tartar was a by-product of wine-making. I had never heard that, but I was curious and the two of us looked it up, and yes, indeed, she was correct: 

So, there you have it: the source of cream of tartar, why it's important, how it works, and perhaps the most common reason cooks use it.

Never in a million years would I have guessed it is related to wine-making but granddaughter did. How she knows all this stuff, I have no idea, but it really does seem that she knows at least something about everything. 

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The Book Page

The Annotated Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant, Edited With An Introduction By Elizabeth D. Samet, c. 2019.  

I've read his Memoirs twice, and maybe parts of his Memoirs several times. I doubt I will ever read the complete annotated volume edited by Elizabeth D Samet, and I won't read it from start to finish, but will read the parts I want to read when I want to read them and in the order I want to read them.

Tonight, of course, I'm reading her introduction. Absolutely fascinating.

A list of the authors US Grant and his fellow students read when they were at the US Military Academy (West Point):

  • Edward Bulwer-Lytton: eclectic, versatile
  • James Fenimore Cooper
  • Frederick Marryat: seafaring novels
  • Walter Scott
  • Washington Irving, a local celebrity living near West Point in the Hudson Valley
  • Charles James Lever 

The editor's information on Sir Walter Scott and his (Walter Scott's) connection to the US Civil War is an incredible piece of sleuthing and/or observation.  

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The Unemployment Report For April, 2026 -- One Big "Nothing-Burger" -- May 10, 2026

Locator: 50776UEMPLOYMENT. 

The WSJ reported on the unemployment numbers released two days ago. 

Link here.

One might also check the analyses by the CNBC folks on Friday after these numbers came out. 

Another WSJ story on this jobs report: link here. 

To help put this story in perspective: link here. 



I found it amazing how "everyone" from CNBC to WSJ tried to paint the story that this was a report that reflected badly on the Trump administration and somehow related to the Iran war, the blockade, the high price of gasoline, and the tariffs and so on and so one.
 
The report Friday was one big "nothing burger" but was surprisingly good considering the country's headwinds. 
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Trump: Iran's Reply -- DOA -- "Totally Unacceptable!" Sunday, May 10, 2026

Locator: 50775IRAN. 

Later: tomorrow could be a buying opportunity, link here. See this blog's disclaimer. Link here. 

Will Netanyahu determine the next move? "The war is not over."

Oil: currently up 62 cents, trading at $95.42. We're all curious where WTI will be once trading begins later today or tomorrow morning. My hunch: Netanyahu and Trump will strike when and where they want.  

Five minutes later -- all green! And not by just a little. After Trump rejects Iran's response as totally unacceptable: 


This gives traders full allowance to take profits Monday morning. Futures are "red" this evening.

The question is whether "bombing" will commence before Monday morning?  

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Disclaimer
Briefly

Briefly: 

  • I am inappropriately exuberant about the Bakken and I am often well out front of my headlights. I am often appropriately accused of hyperbole when it comes to the Bakken.
  • 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 Bakken, 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. Nvidia is a metonym for AI and/or the sixth industrial revolution. 
  • I've now added Broadcom to the disclaimer. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Broadcom. Now, I've added Amazon.
  • Longer version here. 
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    In The Queue For Later Today -- May 10, 2026

    Locator: 50774ARCHIVES. 

    In the queue:

    • US unemployment
    • dividends in May
    • Sweetgreen
    • Chips, WSJ update
    • Medical recommendations for seniors
    • UK: Keir Starmer's party lost big (NPR). Look who won: NPR will have trouble reporting this:

    How bad was it for Keir Starmer?


     US unemployment from Gemini's perspective:


    US labor force participation -- pay close attention -- this is getting serious -- amazing "they" can get to such precision: "tenth" participation    . Most recent report also revealed absolutely no "wage inflation." 

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    Bookstores Are Dead! Long Live B&N -- May 10, 2026

    Locator: 50773BOOKS. 

    Link here. 

    Great news but totally unexpected. How they compete with Amazon is beyond me.

    It is opening new stores at a near-record pace, enabling the bookseller to spread its fixed costs—such as warehouses—across a larger footprint.

    As a privately held business, Barnes & Noble doesn’t report its financial results. But one useful indicator is its store count. The bookseller is on track to open 60 new locations this year, or more than one a week. By year-end, the retailer expects to have 740 stores in the U.S., up from 627 in 2019. 

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    Saudi Aramco's Profits Surge Despite Closure Of Strait Of Hormuz -- May 10, 2026

    Locator: 50772SAUDI. 


     

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    Maryland Electric Power -- May 10, 2026

    Locator: 50771THEGRID. 

    Link here. 

    The Maryland Office of People’s Counsel (OPC), a state agency that represents its utility consumers, filed a complaint before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regarding PJM Interconnection, LLC’s plans to charge it $2 billion of the $22 billion it spent to upgrade its grid to accommodate increasing demand from data centers. 

    According to the OPC’s press release, this $2 billion bill will cost the state’s consumers an extra $1.6 billion in the next ten years alone — that means an extra $823 million for residential (approx. $345 per customer), $146 million for commercial (approx. $673 per customer), and $629 million for industrial customers (approx. $15,074 per customer).

    PJM Interconnection, LLC is the United States’ largest electricity transmission company, and covers 13 states plus Washington, D.C. This includes Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, covering about 65 million people, or about 20% of the entire U.S. population. Some of these states, including Maryland, host a large number of data centers, so the firm needs to upgrade its infrastructure to meet projected demand from these power-hungry AI systems.

    If I'm reading that correctly, that's $1.6 billion for the total bill over ten years with an extra $823 million over ten years for residential customers. 

    The article said $85 million per residential customer per year.

    Maryland population: 6 million.

    Cost per resident / per year / increase: 14 dollars per year per resident or one dollar per month.

    At least that's what I'm reading. 

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    Electric Power Monthly By State -- EIA -- February, 2026, Data -- May 10, 2026

    Locator: 50770THEGRID. 

    Tag: electricity price EIA 

    EIA has just published the monthly price of electricity to ultimate customers by end-use sector. Link here.

    Also here but the data is slightly different, though the site claims to get their data from the EIA and then they "manipulate, refine" it. 

    North Dakota still has the lowest rate for residential use, 11.64 cents / kWh.

    North Dakota still has the lowest rate for total average price across all sectors, 8.87 cents / kWh.  

    For comparison, residential, cents / kWh:

    • Maine: 32.17 
    • New York: 29.99
    • California: 33.22
    • Hawaii: 43.00 

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    Initial Production Data For Wells Coming Off Confidential List This Next Week -- May 10, 2026

    Locator: 50769WELLS. 

    The wells:

    • 42029, conf, Kraken, Steen LW 12-13-24 10H, Antelope Creek, npd, 
    • 42030, conf, Kraken, Dwyer East LE 2-36-26 11H, Antelope Creek, npd, 
    • 41750, conf, KODA Resources, Stout 1301-1BH, Fertile Valley, 
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-2026174522046
    2-2026170842685
    1-2026236289196
    12-20252294510598
    • 19795, conf, Devon Energy, Johnson 150-99-34-27-1H, South Tobacco Garden, 
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-20261626542395
    2-20261623934072
    1-20261713532302
    12-20251347919657
    • 41956, conf, Kraken, Dwyer East 26-35 8H, Rawson, near Alexander, npd,
    • 41955, conf, Kraken Dwyer EAst 26-35 7H, Rawson, near Alexander, npd, 
    • 41858, conf, Devon Energy, Finn 13-25F XW 1H, Briar Creek, 
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-20262931123574
    2-20262828423348
    1-20262891821007
    12-20253576823505
    11-20253031027836
    • 41497, conf, Hess, BW-Wilson-149-99-3625H-6, Juniper, 
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-20261623731220
    2-20261658933359
    1-20262063840714
    12-20252595848124
    11-20251411730369
    • 41496, conf, Hess, BW-Wilson-149-99-6325H-5, Juniper, 
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-20261428329743
    2-20261660230781
    1-20261868136955
    12-20252754746679
    11-20251136717369
    • 41495, conf, Hess, BW-Wilson-149-99-3625H-4, Juniper, 
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-20261201729574
    2-20261333427546
    1-20261951340299
    12-20252114642262
    11-202516022463

    41452, conf, Devon Energy, Wagenman 32-29 6H, Todd, city of Williston, 

    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-20261788716859
    2-20262017017503
    1-20262918625743
    12-20252863024078
    11-20253054126622
    • 41957, conf, Kraken, McCabe 24-13 5H, Rawson, near Alexander, npd, 
    • 41751, conf, KODA resources, Stout 1301 2BH, Fertile Valley, 
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-2026273873128
    2-2026264123848
    1-20263251711783
    12-20252644411310
    • 41958, conf, Kraken, McCabe 24-13 6H, Rawson, near Alexander, npd, 
    • 41843, conf, Hunt Oil, Kandiyohi 159-90-5-17H-1, Vanville, 
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-2026155647999
    2-2026143646034
    1-2026195529909
    12-2025211808449
    11-202582664529
    • 42047, conf, Phoenix Operating, Woods 35-26-23 4H, Skabo, 
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-2026206365897
    2-2026188430
    1-2026145520
    12-2025148420
    11-202514000
    • 42046, conf, Phoenix Operating, Woods 36-25-23 3H, Skabo, 
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-2026207616349
    2-2026167950
    1-202699070
    12-2025123050
    11-202513280
    • 42045, conf, Phoenix Operating, Woods 35-26-23 1H, Skabo, 
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-2026221306302
    2-2026152240
    1-2026156290
    12-2025132570
    11-202510010

    41940, conf, Phoenix Operating, Woods 35-26-23 2H, Skabo, 

    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-2026203585854
    2-2026147730
    1-2026137070
    12-2025141290
    11-202511750
    • 41330, conf, Oasis, Owan 5402 43-26 3BU, Painted Woods, 
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-20263009223916
    2-20263018123936
    1-20262710120300
    12-20253158623665
    11-20251602013122
    • 41329, conf, Oasis, Owan 5402 43-26 2B, Painted Woods, 
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-2026179349914
    2-2026184659400
    1-20262117812038
    12-20251864310973
    11-2025109575228
    • 42198, conf,  Kraken, Apollo 18-7-6 8H, Big Stone, npd, 
    • 42197, conf, Kraken, Apollo 18-7-6 7H, Big Stone, npd, 
    • 41451, conf, Devon Energy, Wagenman 32-29 5H, Todd, city of Williston,
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-20261812216312
    2-20262073518035
    1-20262741324078
    12-20252381920140
    11-20253835026697
    • 42262, conf, Petro-Hunt, John Williams 143-97-5B-8-3H, Crooked Creek, npd,
    • 42199, conf, Kraken Operating, Turbodiesel 19-30-31-9H, Big Stone, npd, 
    • 41591, conf, Hess, EN-Trout-157-93-3130H-5, Big Butte, 
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-20261952723856
    2-20262285824482
    1-20262533329883
    12-20253147327386
    11-20252621912426
    • 41450, conf, Devon Energy, Wagenman 32-29 4H, Todd, city of Williston,
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-20262206029705
    2-20262431324509
    1-20263142527648
    12-20252658723531
    11-20253284524731
    • 41641, conf, Devon Energy, Marvin 27-34-XW 1H, Camp, 
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-20262062636340
    2-20262196930202
    1-20263083836995
    12-20253419536948
    11-20254271445356
    • 42239, conf, Petro-Hunt, Edgar Lea Weems 144-97-32C-29-3H, Little Knife, npd, 
    • 42200, conf, Kraken Operating, Turbodiesel LE 19-30-31 10H, Big Stone, npd, 
    • 41739, conf, Hess, EN-Rohde-LE-157-94-3625H-1, Big Butte, 
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-20262265228810
    2-20261807718793
    1-20262237126869
    12-20253460433950
    11-20252552227195
    • 41844, conf, Hunt Oil, Kandiyohi 159-90-5-17H-2, Vanville, 
    DateOil RunsMCF Sold
    3-2026118078089
    2-2026118524613
    1-2026146907838
    12-2025129035366
    11-202531011825
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    Wells Coming Of Confidential List This Next Week -- May 10, 2026

    Locator: 50768WELLS. 

    Wednesday, May 20, 2026: 49 for the month, 149 for the quarter, 306 for the year, 
    42029, conf, Kraken, Steen LW 12-13-24 10H, 

    Tuesday, May 19, 2026: 48 for the month, 148 for the quarter, 305 for the year, 
    42030, conf, Kraken, Dwyer East LE 2-36-26 11H, 
    41750, conf, KODA Resources, Stout 1301-1BH, 
    19795, conf, Devon Energy, Johnson 150-99-34-27-1H, 

    Monday, May 18, 2026: 45 for the month, 145 for the quarter, 302 for the year, 
    41956, conf, Kraken, Dwyer East 26-35 8H, 

    Sunday, May 17, 2026: 44 for the month, 144 for the quarter, 301 for the year, 
    41955, conf, Kraken Dwyer EAst 26-35 7H, 
    41858, conf, Devon Energy, Finn 13-25F XW 1H, 
    41497, conf, Hess, BW-Wilson-149-99-3625H-6, 
    41496, conf, BW-Wilson-149-99-6325H-5, 
    41495, conf, Hess, BW-Wilson-149-99-3625H-4, 
    41452, conf, Devon Energy, Wagenman 32-29 6H, 

    Saturday, May 16, 2026: 38 for the month, 138 for the quarter, 295 for the year, 
    41957, conf, Kraken, McCabe 24-13 5H, 
    41751, conf, KODA resources, Stout 1301 2BH, 

    Friday, May 15, 2026: 36 for the month, 136 for the quarter, 293 for the year, 
    41958, conf, Kraken, McCabe 24-13 6H, 
    41843, conf, Hunt Oil, Kandiyohi 159-90-5-17H-1, 

    Thursday, May 14, 2026: 34 for the month, 134 for the quarter, 291 for the year,
    42047, conf, Phoenix Operating, Woods 35-26-23 4H, 
    42046, conf, Phoenix Operating, Woods 36-25-23 3H,  
    42045, conf, Phoenix Operating, Woods 35-26-23 1H, 
    41940, conf, Phoenix Operating, Woods 35-26-23 2H, 
    41330, conf, Oasis, Owan 5402 43-26 3BU, 
    41329, conf, Oasis, Owan 5402 43-26 2B, 
    42198, conf,  Kraken, Apollo 18-7-6 8H,

    Wednesday, May 13, 2026: 27 for the month, 127 for the quarter, 284 for the year, 
    42197, conf, Kraken, Apollo 18-7-6 7H, 
    41451, conf, Devon Energy, Wagenman 32-29 5H, 

    Tuesday, May 12, 2026: 25 for the month, 125 for the quarter, 282 for the year, 
    42262, conf, Petro-Hunt, John Williams 143-97-5B-8-3H, 
    42199, conf, Kraken Operating, Turbodiesel 19-30-31-9H, 
    41591, conf, Hess, EN-Trout-157-93-3130H-5,
    41450, conf, Devon Energy, Wagenman 32-29 4H, 

    Monday, May 11, 2026: 21 for the month, 121 for the quarter, 278 for the year, 
    41641, conf, Devon Energy, Marvin 27-34-XW 1H, 
    42239, conf, Petro-Hunt, Edgar Lea Weems 144-97-32C-29-3H, 
    42200, conf, Kraken Operating, Turbodiesel LE 19-30-31 10H, 

    Sunday, May 10, 2026: 18 for the month, 118 for the quarter, 275 for the year, 
    41739, conf, Hess, EN-Rohde-LE-157-94-3625H-1, 

    Saturday, May 9, 2026: 17 for the month, 117 for the quarter, 274 for the year, 
    41844, conf, hunt Oil, Kandiyohi 159-90-5-17H-2, 


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