Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Big Stories, #5 - #10, Inclusive -- Palindromic Wednesday -- 2-23-22

Before I forget: I am considering a new "top-five non-oil-related link: lithub. 

A reminder: the EIA's weekly petroleum report will be released tomorrow, a day later than usual due to the holiday Monday.

Kiev: power outage. Large-scale cyberattack is underway in Ukraine. "Everything" has been hit, crippled.

Russian coal deliveries to be delayed: unrelated to the "minor incursion." 

Due to "staff shortages due to Covid-19." Link to Charles Kennedy.

This would not have gotten my attention or posted had it not been posted by Charles Kennedy.

WTI/Brent spread: since the "minor incursion," the spread had stayed consistently around $5.00. 

  • Brent, $98; WTI, $93. 
  • JSG: "this is the largest I've seen Brent WTI diiff in a long time."
  • Oil to temporarily plummet with Iran "deal."

Biden: we can work with oil companies to get price of gasoline down.

  • a reminder: Kamala Harris did indeed call for banning fracking during the primary campaign -- Axios
  • and one wonders why shale operators are very, very cautious adding rigs this year

Russian Urals heavy oil: at record highs. So much for sanctions. Last two paragraphs at this link:

At the same time, a surge in Brent prices is leading to record absolute prices for Urals oil, traders said, which may soften the impact of the big discount.

On Tuesday, the price of Urals oil cargoes loading from Baltic ports was around $95 per barrel - the highest since 2014.

Ukraine: could send oil prices $20 higher -- Bank of America. Or not. At the same link:

If, however, the situation in Ukraine de-escalates, oil prices could drop by between $2 and $4 per barrel, BofA said in a note on Tuesday. 
Like Rex Tillerson once said, "oil will probably trade between $20 and $120. A lot of folks pay big bucks for insights from BofA.

FANG, Reuters:

  • higher-than-expected 4Q21 profits
  • boosted dividend by 20%
  • average unhedged realized prices during 4Q21: more than doubled to $56.47 / boe
  • production: 387,000 boepd vs 299 boepd last year

Marathon Oil: upgraded to buy at Piper; See 25% upside. Link here.

Oil-to-electricity: New England has burned the most oil to generate electricity in over a decade this winter. Link here. 

Investors:

  • five best stocks to buy now and hold forever, Motley Fool:
    • Berkshire Hathaway
    • Sherwin-Williams
    • Home Depot
    • Abbott Laboratories
    • Microsoft
  • the under-the-radar stock Warren Buffett has spent $51 billion buying over three years: his own company.  

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And She Even Plays Guitar

I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You, Hank Williams, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris

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The Book Page 

And there it is: Ukraine. It begins.

Volume One, The Gulag Archipelago, 1918 - 1956, p. 18 - 19, Aleksandra I. Solzhenitsyn.

Recounting his arrest by the SMERSH in 1945:

"You are under arrest!" -- his brigade commander.
"Me? What for?"
"You have ... " he asked weightily, "a friend on the First Ukrainian Front?"

SMERSH counterintelligence.

SMERSH: from the initial syllables of the words for "death to spies."

And then this.

Big Story #4 -- Palindromic Wednesday -- 2-23-22

Michigan -- under Governor Gretch Whitmer -- has the #1 economy among the 57 US states. Link here. 


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Getting Tired of Winter
Ready For Summer

Big Story #3 -- Palindromic Wednesday -- February 23, 2022

Germany: democracy has no price. As it shuts down Nord Stream 2.

Think about that.

Compared to the earth ending in ten years due to global warming, Russia annexing a couple rogue provinces is absolutely nothing, not even worth a footnote in the history of the earth. 

And yet, if this results in Russian sanctions and Germany's vow that democracy has no price, can you imagine what Germany will do to force wind and solar as only energy sources for the EU in order to save the earth. 

Certainly, saving the earth has no price.

EU will unveil a strategy too break free from Russia gas, after decades of dependence. MSN.

I'm not going to hold my breath.

Big Story #2 -- Palindromic Wednesday -- 2-23-22

Updates

Later, 9:52 p.m. CT: Dustin Johnson and Bryson Dechambeau have not commented on Phil Mickelson. Bryson says he’s committed to the PGA “for now.” I’ve yet to see Dustin’s decision. This whole thing is very, very disappointing. I need to re-evaluate my earlier thoughts on Colin Kaepernick, et al.

Original Post

KPMG cuts ties with Phil Mickelson effective immediately. 

Waiting now to hear from WorkDay, Calloway, and Rolex.

PGA's 2022 persona non grata.

More here. 

Phil must hate to think how much he just lost overnight. And it was way more than money. And this won't end any time soon. Will he take the 2022 - 2023 season off or start his own golf association? Of one.

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New Bikes With Carriers For Their Hot Wheels


Big Story #1 -- Palindromic Wednesday -- 2-22-23

From an earlier post: 

Previously posted:

Angus bull sales report: link here.

  • Schaff, St Anthony, ND: yet to report; sale yesterday;
    • last year's record, Schaff: $275,000
  • Ellingson Angus, St Anthony, ND, this year:
    • looks like the one to beat
    • registered bulls, average: $12,407
    • top bull: $175,000
  • most auctions across the country, top bull: $10,000 to $30,000
  • the all-time record, link here:
    • Schaff, St Anthony, ND
    • February 9, 2019
    • $1.51 million

Finally, delayed for some reason, but the Schaff Angus Valley results were finally posted.

The results were worth waiting for. Schaff Angus Valley, Saint Anthony, ND, will again take the 2022 record for "top bull": SAV Panther 1906 at $350,000.

It beat last year's record. 

On top of that, Schaff had two bulls that beat the Ellingson Angus top bull.

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Flashback 

Some year ago, Sophia and her grandfather. This must have been in our first apartment in Grapevine, TX, about six years ago. We've lived in three apartments in Grapevine / Euless since moving to this area in 2013.

Our wedding picture just over my right shoulder, and way in the background, black-and-white photos of Prague, perhaps the most enchanted city in the world.