Locator: 44606CO2.
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
Poolside -- May 9, 2023
Locator: 44605ARCH.
I read a lot but not nearly as much as Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger according to them. But having said that, The Atlantic really is one of the better periodicals, a monthly.
When subscribing, one gets a hard copy each month and access to the on-line site, and it's incredible how much they post. Truly amazing. Today, for example, this in addition to everything else:
It's 81°F right, poolside.
A beautiful evening. I plan to be here until midnight.
I now understand why "most Americans say life is worse today than fifty years ago." From The Atlantic article:
Can you imagine the rest of your life constrained by the need to charge your EV? We will be seeing a lot more stories along this line.
The other reason, of course, is that human beings are social animals, and we're no longer social. My wife has little time for me: she's always on the computer streaming. This is her day of streaming: news, news, TV crime show, news, news, news, TV art show, news, news, news, movie. I've pretty much given up -- that's why I find summer so wonderful -- the pool.
My 2011/2012 Honda mileage:
Mileage:
- a year ago, June 8, 2022: 122,263
- a year later, May 9, 2023: 124,744
- one year's mileage: 2,309 miles.
I figured it would be about 5,000 miles. Wow.
This is about the only car I drive, and mostly to chauffeur Sophia to her activities.
In my neighborhood I have more retail than Mall of America (needs to be fact-checked) with Walmart at one end of the mile long retail park and Albertson's (regional grocer) at the other end with Target in the middle. What local retail can't provide, Amazon will deliver. For "free." The only retail store to which I cannot bike is Costco, and I visit Costco twice a year: once yearly to pick up some really, really nice jewelry for my wife; and, once yearly, to look at the Apple products. Every two or three years I might buy a new iPad or new computer.
Speaking of which, I got a note from Amazon today saying that my order that was to be delivered today was delayed for some reason. Amazon said it was on its way but something interrupted the delivery process, but I should expect it tomorrow. It's an indoor-outdoor rug for the balcony. Now that I've got the bat cave (AKA the garage) fixed up for Sophia and me, I can now work on my tropical garden of Eden on the balcony.
The Amazon delay? My hunch: the Rivian ran out of juice. LOL.
Update: I just got a note from UPS. That delivery also delayed. My hunch: Amazon handed the delivery to UPS for some reason. This happens occasionally.
And, yes, we have a nursery within biking distance, though I do need the car to bring plants home. But if I didn't a care, I would combine errands and rent a U-Haul (within biking distance) for $19.99 a day, and actually rent it for half the day, now that they offer that.
*******************************
A Musical Interlude
This connects a lot of dots for me. Trent. Suicide. Hurt. Bud. Immigrants. The Southern Surge. Vikings.
The links:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkP3urtYCkc
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AHCfZTRGiI
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z9pB4yI-BQ
And, most interesting: Karen O. The New Yorker, September 11, 2022.
North Dakota Down To 38 Active Rigs; Kraken With Five New Permits -- May 9, 2023
Locator: 44604B.
Demographics:
- gen z: 1997 - 2015 (currently, ages 8 - 26)
- gen alpha: Sophia
- tracking here.
API: It will be interesting to see how this is explained -- analysts forecast a draw of 1.6 million bbls of crude oil; in fact, inventories increased by 3.618 million bbls. If US demand was relatively unchanged, then it was exports, and I am unaware of any reasons why exports would have been down, but we will see the EIA data tomorrow.
API weekly data: WTI up today --
****************************
Back to the Bakken
Active rigs: 38.
WTI: $73.71.
Natural gas: $2.267.
Five new permits, #39884 - #39888, inclusive:
- Operator: Kraken
- Field: Green Lake (Williams); Burg (Williams)
- Comments:
- Kraken has permits for two Kisner wells, SESE 24-159-1000,
- to be sited 407 FSL and 448 FEL; and, 407 FSL and 415 FEL; and,
- permits for three Deacon wells, SESE 24-159-100,
- to be sited 407 FSL and between 316 FEL and 382 FEL.
Seven permits renewed:
- Formenter Operations, four LIG2 permits; one Grays state permit; one FLX permit; and, one PTL permit.
? Three Hours. Unanimous. May 9, 2023
Locator: 44603TRUMP.
The downfall of Trump tracked here.
The following was not the lead story at that news site. The lead story: a country music star who must take six weeks off to let his vocal cords rest. I cannot make this up.
They Need To Move To Texas -- Or Ask 300,000 Migrants That Will Cross The Southern Border This Next Month -- May 9, 2023
Locator: 44602US.
A recent Pew Research poll (an incredibly unscientific poll from such a respected group):
My reply: "They need to move to Texas."
"Most"of those folks taking that survey were contacted on their smartphones. Most of those smart phones were free or heavily subsidized by their carrier. And those smart phones were more powerful than any computer in 1973. Needs to be fact-checked, but one gets the point.
As for me, I live in a 900-square foot apartment ( (actually I think it's slightly less than that), pay no income tax, and my newest car is a 2012 Honda Civic that I bought new in late 2011. That's my newest car. My oldest car is in perfect shape but because it won't pass the Texas emissions test, I can't get it registered. The "piece" that is needed to correct that problem is no longer available. I maintain the car anyway. It's eighteen years old; vehicles older than 25 years in Texas don't need to pass the emissions test; seven more years to go.
This is my view today, with the temperature forecast to reach a high of 84°F (the high was 95°F yesterday, I believe; I forget). It will stay near 80°F through the midnight hours and I will be out at the pool until then.
My view:
My wife would agree: our family is worth more to us than material goods, and I'm not sure how that's quantified in a research poll asking me whether my life is "worse" or "better" than it might have been fifty years ago. Medical care alone .... and for seniors, it's practically free.
My wife would probably disagree: I often feel guilty having it as good as I do. If it weren't for the family, I would be happy with fewer material goods but I do need a car to drive Sophia to all her activities. If I didn't have Sophia, I would not have a car.
By the way, that 2012 Honda, with 125,000 miles on it, just passed state inspection. Registered for another year. State registration fee: $74.
Cost to inspect it, oil change, some type of filter change (it was optional/recommended -- not required) cost $196 including the "contribution" I made at "point of service" to "Boys and Girls Club."
Wow, what a digression.
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